


Bound by Blood and Bone

by TheBattyInsomniac



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Heavy Plot, Humor, I have no idea what I'm doing let's just roll with it, Maybe some smut but that won't be for a while, Multi, My First Fanfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Second Person, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Rating May Change, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader is a mage, Reader-Insert, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Undertale aus, and maybe a few anime tropes because I'm trash, but have faith it will not be so generic, like super slow have patience okie dokie, magick school, new age magick, reader is female, that's right prepare your butts for some trips through the multiverse, the whole gang is gonna be here probably, this is probably sounding like a cliche YA novel, those Harry Potter vibes are strong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-16 10:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11826828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBattyInsomniac/pseuds/TheBattyInsomniac
Summary: Magick was long thought to be a subject reserved solely for childish fantasies and novels. Humanity was firmly set in scientific fact and had little time for fantastical musings of the wandering mind. If it defied the laws of nature it was simply untrue, if not blasphemy to established theories.Magick did not exist…or so humanity thought. But upon what became known as “The Emergence” all knowledge was put to the test, if not tossed in the fire. Monsters shattered an ancient barrier to return to the surface. With their arrival humanity was once more reminded of their power, their true calling. There was a move for education to reignite the Old Ways and welcome a new generation of those trained in magick, working alongside monsters.Thus, the first inter-species school for the craft, Ebott Academy of Magick, was formed.Magick, a now undeniable truth, became a force which could reconcile the bonds between humans and monsters…or completely corrupt reality as we know it. For not all is what it appears. Under the guise of unity there are those that fight for power, control. Lines are slowly being drawn, etched in blood and magick.What side will you choose as you step along your own enchanted path?





	1. On the Breath of Change - Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *sharp intake of breath* This is my first fanfiction...ever. Please be gentle. ｡(*^▽^*)ゞ
> 
> If you're still here after that grossly long and vague summary, thank you, and I hope you enjoy your read. After perusing countless amazing Undertale fanfictions on here I built up the confidence to write my own. I'm still extremely nervous and quite frankly I have no idea where this is going exactly. But it should be a fun ride. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> As of right now there is no update schedule on this, I'm just going to kind of roll with it, see how its received, and where my muse is at. But I will let you all know if that should change.

A gentle breeze skimmed along a dusty cobblestone path, picking up a few scattered leaves into a dizzying dance. The warmth of summer was quickly fading as autumn began to sink its chilled fangs into the soft, willing earth. Already there were trees changing from deep emerald to fiery red and orange hues, scattered splotches of color. The sight seemed to ignite your spirit in a similar way as your soul lifted with the change in the air. It was infectious; the transformation in nature was comparable to that in your own life. You were taking your first steps along a new path, a new world of discoveries, just like those few leaves already aglow with autumn light.

Hopefully you would not fade and crumble to dust, scattered to the ground, as they inevitably would.

No, mentally slapping your cheeks as you chided your negative thoughts, this is just the beginning. Sure, you’re hours away from home in an unfamiliar town to attend a school full of strangers…all alone… But you got this, (y/n).

Gritting your teeth you once more attempted to convince your feet to actually move. But for some reason that was certainly not nerves you could not bring yourself to take another step. Towering before you was Ebott Academy of Magick in all its breathtaking glory. Or was intimidation? Judging from how your legs seemed to tremble it could very well be the latter. The structure certainly was imposing from where it was set into the side of the legendary mountain which gave it its namesake. There was not a doubt in your mind that magick played a large role in its construction. From skyscraping spires to arches that appeared to defy the laws of gravity you could think of no other means to create such baffling architecture. 

And here you stood, dwarfed by its front gate alone. Though the intricate wrought iron bars were open, welcoming your arrival, hesitation prevented you from taking another step. What if there had been a mistake? After all, people tripped all the time. Perhaps you just had two left feet. Perhaps your eyes were merely playing tricks on you.  
Perhaps the shadows did not shudder at your touch and this was all simply in your head.

Your grip tightened around the handle of your suitcase, its contents feeling like boulders dragging off your arm. You could always turn back, call your parents and explain that there had been a misunderstanding, that you were nothing more than a normal, boring young woman. All of the jumping at shadows you had done in your youth had just been childish fears.

Because there was no possible way you could live up to the expectations this school seemed to emanate from its very being. You did not belong here.

“Pretty impressive, huh?”

With a soft squeak of surprise you started, whipping around and stumbling away from the voice that had been uncomfortably close to your ear. Your free hand that was not weighed down with luggage gripped your chest, fingers curling into the soft fabric of your sweater. Before you was a man who appeared not much older than you, the first breaths of adulthood rolling off his person. Lost in thought as you were you had not even heard him meander up behind you. But as you attempted to catch your breath you cast a wary glance towards him. Puberty had clearly been kind, chiseling out his features from fair skin with a spattering of freckles, which were framed by honey brown locks. A soft, yet not unkind smirk played at his lips as his gray eyes drank in your appearance.

“Sorry about that,” He gave a lighthearted chuckle, hand rubbing shyly at the back of his neck, “didn’t mean to scare you.”

“N-no, uh, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” 

Embarrassment threatened to choke your words as you fidgeted with the hem of your sleeves while your heart rate slowly settled back to a reasonable pace. Unfazed by your sheepish demeanor, he approached once again, though at a much more respectful distance.

“I take it you’re a new student too? I was worried I was the only one arriving this late.”

At the mention of a similar situation to your own you let out a lungful of air you had not realized you were even holding. So you were not quite so alone after all. Words still escaped you, so you opted for a soft nod instead as you met his gaze. His smirk cracked into a full blown grin when you confirmed his suspicions. 

“Rad. Glad I’m not alone in all this.” You could not help but smile as he shared your worries, “The name’s Lucas by the way, or Luke if you’d like.”

Drawing his luggage up beside him, Lucas stuck out a hand in greeting. Past hesitations seemed to fade in the light of his warm smile and you eagerly took his hand.

“(Y/n).” The contact was brief, but comforting nonetheless. Your nerves were certainly less frazzled now that you had company. But as you finished your exchange a particularly strong breeze whipped up, tousling both your persons. A gentle laugh escaped Lucas and was quickly carried off by the breeze as he raked his fingers through his unkempt hair.

“Well, (y/n), what do you say we take this conversation inside. Wouldn’t be really a point in continuing if the wind just snatches our words away, don’t you think?”

With a wink, the man, your new classmate, passed the gates and up the path to the front door. Once more your eyes drifted up to the academy looming above, its massive shadow inching near you as the sun made its way across the sky. You swallowed hard, taking a harsh breath. These were the first steps to your new life.

“Ya comin’, (y/n)? After all, the magick’s inside.”

Your gaze flickered back to Lucas paused a few feet before as he noticed your absence. Setting a firm guise of confidence on your features, you squared your shoulders and took a single step, then another.

“Come on, feet.” You murmured to yourself, encouraging your limbs to pick up their stiff pace. This was good; this was your destiny, your new home.

You could do this, no problem.

Stumbling forward, you fell into stride with Lucas who seemed to grin at your newfound resolve. It appeared your hesitation did not go entirely unnoticed.

“So, a school for human mages and monsters, huh? Never thought I’d see the day, or even imagine I’d end up here. What about you?”

You merely shrugged at the small talk as the front doors drew ever nearer.

“Can’t say I did. This all seems so…surreal. I mean, magick? Monsters? Mages? Hard to believe I even belong…”

Your words trailed off, but did not fall on deaf ears. Not wanting to see you so glum, Lucas gave you and encouraging pat on the back, accompanied with a cheesy grin.

“Nah, I’m sure that’s just the nerved talking. This school’s been around for, what, almost three years now? Never heard admissions messing up once. The Watchers know who to look for; they know the signs of a mage. Don’t even worry about it.”

His reassuring words certainly helped to lift some of the weight on your conscience. It was true, not once was there word of any student being accepted who did not possess mage potential. The system seemed foolproof, “The Watchers” never made a mistake. Though their name was unsettling, they were merely mages and monsters scattered about the world with connections to the Academy and experience in magick. They did just as their name implied and kept a careful eye out for those who showed any signs of magick. But not just simple magick like card tricks and pulling rabbits from hats. This was the real deal. No one ever seemed to notice their presence; they blended right in with the rest of society. But when a Watcher set their sights on you and determined your potential worthy of further education you would receive an acceptance letter in the mail. It was like something out of a fantasy novel and you could still hardly believe you had received a letter as well. 

“Though, I did hear that there are also Watchers scattered about the students to weed out anyone not set on living up to their full potential…but, ya know, like I said, don’t worry about it.”

That was an unpleasant slam back to reality, your previous insecurities bubbling to the surface once more. What if you were not good enough? Sure, maybe you held some potential, but what if that was not enough? You trembled at the thought of being dragged from the school by a faceless figure, like a magick bouncer, to be dumped unceremoniously back on the front steps as a failure. You would not doubt be the laughingstock of the school and a disappointment to your parents who had been overjoyed at the thought of their daughter being a mage.

The thunderous groan of heavy wood and iron stirred you from your musings. It was too late to turn back now, the door had already been opened, awaiting your arrival. You gave one last meaningful glance over your shoulder, eyes cast down the narrow path and over the forest that seemed to encompass the school grounds. It was your last glance at your old life before you steadily marched up the steps with your suitcase and through the front doors.

Welcome to Ebott Academy of Magick. With any luck, your new home for the next four years.


	2. Arcane Authority

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the reader finally meet the old coots that run this school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *rubs hands together* Alright, let's actually get this ball rolling. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
> 
> Fun fact: I listen to a lot of Celtic and Norse folk music to inspire my muse while writing.

A solid thud rang through the hollow halls of the castle in your stead. You flinched, not in alarm, but at the finality of your predicament. It was as if the ground beneath your feet was crumbling behind you; there was no turning back now. But you steeled your resolve, determined to not let the uncertainty of the future have its way with you. The warm presence at your side also served as some comfort. Even though you barely knew him, Lucas was already setting your heart at ease with his mellow demeanor. As if to confirm your thoughts he grinned down at you before casting his gaze about your new surroundings.

The walls encompassing you were constructed with dark stone like some sort of medieval keep, towering above you in cathedral ceilings. However, upon closer inspection you could see small glittering crystals scattered about the various slabs that formed the walls, which appeared to be naturally occurring. A soft hum fluttered behind your lips as you appreciated the craftsmanship, running your fingertips against the rough surface. The cool stone seemed to vibrate subtly beneath your skin, a current running through the mineral like a living being.

“It’s enchanted…” Your words were spoken more to yourself, but Lucas came to lean over your shoulder, intrigued by your curiosity.

“Well, would you look at that, so it is.” His hand seemed to dwarf your own as he rested it against the wall beside you, “Not surprising, though. Probably some heavy defensive wards carved around here somewhere.”

You nodded, though the reasoning behind such powerful magick was a little unsettling. The formation of the Academy had been a move towards peace between humans and monsters, bonding through the energy that connects us all. But there were those that opposed the unity, and they were far from few in number. It was not simple hate groups, though they were rampant in the streets, but also in politics, religious, and all influential circles as well. Upon the initial proposal of the idea there had been an uproar heard across the world over. The concept of magick and monsters was only just beginning to settle with humanity and now there was a push towards educating future generations alongside these new beings. Religious leaders were opposed to even the idea of pursuing magick, believing it to be blasphemous. Politicians feared that this would only cause more tension, placing power in the hands of strangers that could easily seek to overthrow the human race like some sort of invasion force. Even many nomadic mages who had been working independently in their craft stepped out into the open to speak against the school’s formation. They remained steadfast in the beliefs of their ancestors: that the monsters were dangerous and could not be trusted.

The threat of opposition and potential attack loomed on the horizon and Ebott Academy had to be prepared for the sake of its students’ safety.

Still, the majority remained in favor of the idea, whether for pure or more selfish intentions. It was not hard to believe the military was intrigued by the idea of a generation capable of wielding magick. For what country would not like an army of mages defending them in battle? Similarly other powerful figureheads sought to harness those with magick to pursue their own agenda. It was all power to them, magick was nothing more than tool, a means to an end.

The thought alone sickened you. You had no intention of using any magick in order to harm others, nor did you want your abilities to be bought by some diplomat or billionaire. No, you were only at this school for one reason.

To get your magick under control; to quell the fear that threatened to overwhelm you every night.

“Ay, Admissions is over here I think.” 

Lucas’ steady voice stirred you, drawing your attention to the direction his head was inclined to. Sure enough there was a small wooden sign hanging off an intricate wrought iron post that read “Main Office”, just above a set of mahogany doors. With one last caress across a particularly prominent cluster of amethyst, you hurried after your companion towards the office doors. Lucas seemed to lack any hesitation as he pushed open the door without a second thought. You found yourself almost envious of his confidence, wondering briefly where he drew such self-assurance from.

“Yes, how may I help you?”

A rather hushed voice spoke just beyond the door. You peered around Lucas’ shoulder to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a giant, green lizard or small dinosaur of some sort. Your eyes widened slightly at their appearance, still not quite accustomed to seeing monsters in person just yet. But you quickly recovered, setting a polite smile upon your lips. The monster sat at a pristinely organized desk, the wall behind them lined with brimming bookshelves and filing cabinets. You hazard a guess they were the secretary.

“Uh, hello, we’re looking for admissions? We’re new students.” Lucas took the lead, greeting the secretary with the same warm smile he had given you as he gestured between you. With a nod, she returned his smile and began to shuffle through some papers.

“Yes, we were expecting you two. Last minute arrivals?” You both nodded, slightly flustered by your tardiness.

“Not to worry, you’re here just in time. We will have everything sorted out shortly. Just set your luggage aside and I’ll inform the Headmaster and Headmistress of your arrival. Feel free to take a seat.” 

A clawed hand was gestured to a couple well-worn leather chairs coupled together in the office corners, accompanied by a small coffee table. You followed Lucas’ suit, setting your bag beside his next to the door so as not to trip any guests before meandering over to the chairs. With an unceremonious plop, Lucas settled into one chair, sinking deep into the cushion with a content sigh. He seemed almost too at ease for being in an unfamiliar environment. You could not help but look at him with bemusement as you took your seat beside his.

“So, what’s your specialty?” His inquiry broke the peaceful silence that had begun to settle in the office and you noted the eager glint in his eye. It was obvious he had been holding this question back for some time, waiting for the opportune moment. 

“…’Specialty’?” Playing ignorant came almost naturally. It was either that or glancing at the imaginary watch on your wrist and running out of the room, insisting you were late for whatever convoluted lie that came to mind. The latter seemed slightly less reasonable, considering you were told to wait in the office, but you could not deny the temptation. You had been dreading this question since you first received your acceptance letter.

Needless to say your “abilities” were not entirely pleasant to discuss.

Leaning in farther to prompt you, Lucas’ grin stretched to almost Cheshire Cat proportions.

“You know, your magick? What can you do?” Perhaps a noncommittal shrug was enough to deter him? Unlikely, judging from the way he merely stared at you, patiently awaiting an answer.

“Nothing special, trust me.” You leaned away from his persistent expression, reclining back in your chair with a subtle sigh.

“Somehow I doubt it,” He gave a soft chuckle, but held his hands up in defense, “but I won’t push you. I think we’re all a little cautious right now.”

You almost snorted at the idea of Lucas being remotely cautious, he seemed to exude self-assurance. But you did appreciate his respect for your privacy. Besides, he would likely find out eventually if you had any classes together…and maybe you would be thrown out shortly after. At this point, who knows?

“Well, not to boast, but I work with light magick.”

Now that caught your attention. Light magick? You were not exactly well versed in the craft, but you were fairly certain that the elemental variety was limited to just the basic four: wind, fire, water, and earth. Occasionally wood was considered as well, but those abilities were supposedly limited to further east on the globe. Lucas regarded your confusion with amusement, seeming to read your train of thought like an open book,

“I know, weird, right? It’s not exactly common.” He stretched his arms before tucking them behind his head to recline as well, “A lot of people think it’s a deviation of fire. But a few more ancient texts say it’s connected to the fifth element.”

Your brows furrowed, fifth element? Surely he could not mean…

“…Spirit?”

“Or the soul, whichever you prefer. But, basically, yeah. They say a soul is balanced with both light and darkness that can be manipulated just like any other element.”  
You stilled, muscles tensing slightly, but made no comment. Your classmate did not appear to notice, too caught up in explaining his own abilities. 

“Honestly, it’s a little tricky to really manifest, at least visually.” You were beginning to pick up on his nervous habit as he rubbed at the back of his neck, “Right now I’m sort of limited to what I’ve managed to teach myself. Just simple illusions and protective shields, really. Nothing too flashy. It’s a wonder the Watchers even managed to track me down.”

A small smile tugged at your lips, your thoughts resonating with his. You also wondered how you had been picked out of the population. While it was true monsters and mages had not spread their Watchers too far from the Academy, it still seemed like a one in a million chance that you were found. After all, what really gave away that you were capable of magick? “Tripping” over your own feet every other minute? No other reason really came to mind, at least not any you wished to entertain. Night terrors were not exactly your favorite memories to dwell on. But if they honestly thought you tumbling out of bed screaming was any indication of being a mage, then they were really stretching for students.

Especially if they were going so far as to watch people as they slept. You found that possibility to be more than a little creepy. 

“But I think what really caught their eye was this…” 

The rustling of fabric drew your attention as Lucas tugged at a leather cord around his neck you had not previously noticed. After a moment of toying, Lucas produced a rather large pendant from beneath his old band t-shirt. At first glance it appeared to be nothing more than a wire wrapped rock, not even a crystal. The surface of the dark mineral was jagged and marked with small porous pockets that you could only imagine would itch against bare skin. You arched a brow with an unimpressed smirk playing across your features.

“Nice…rock?” For that was all it appeared to be. Something told you there was more to this simple stone than meets the eye, but your playful side wanted to be a bit of a tease to your new companion.

“ _R-rock?!_ ” Lucas gave a mock gasp, clutching his chest as though you just stabbed him. A snort escaped you at his melodramatic display, far from disappointing your expectations. “My lady, this is no mere rock or trinket.

“This,” He held rock out close enough that you nearly went cross-eyed to focus on it, “…is a meteorite. Or a fragment of one at least.”

Now that was intriguing, a piece of a shooting star just dangling before you. Noting your newfound interest, Lucas continued on with his explanation, letting the meteorite fall back against his chest. One hand continued to cradle the shard as if it were a precious gem.

“I went through a lot of trouble to get this, but let’s just say it wouldn’t leave me alone until I did. Do you remember the meteor shower about a month ago?” 

You gave a quick nod, recalling the news report saying it would be one of the most actives showers in decades. Even you had hopped up on the roof of your house to watch the whole event unfold with wonder in your eyes. 

“Well, like everyone else I watched it too. But something felt…I dunno, off, I guess? I just couldn’t tear my eyes from the sky and I kept hearing this whispering, almost like a whistle. It was weird. Even stranger was that no one else could hear it but me. I tried to brush it off, but even days after that night the whispering continued. Actually it got even louder.”

Gray eyes almost seemed to glaze over as Lucas fondly recalled the memory, his fingers never leaving the pendant.

“ _Find me…here… I’m here…_ That’s what I heard, over and over again for days. Thought I was going crazy.” Lucas gave a gentle shake of his head, almost embarrassed at his past ignorance, “But eventually it was so annoying that I just let the voice guide me. Tracked it deep into the forest town over from my house.”

Your eyes widened and you found yourself hanging onto his words. This was quite the tale, much more impressive than any of your fantastical experiences  
.  
“What did you find?”

“Why, this, of course. Thing blew out a small clearing with the impact, tress all burnt and scorched. You should’ve seen the dent it made; it was a sight to see. I hopped down in the pit without a second thought. There were bits of meteorite everywhere, but just this little piece was calling out to me. So I reached for it and when I touched it…”

His voice trailed off and you could not tell if he was caught up in the memory as well, or simply adding to dramatic effect. Either way you were hooked.

“…And?”

But Lucas merely smiled, picking up the shard once more, but rather than dangling it he simply held it in his open palm.

“Hyperion, say hello.”

You were momentarily blinded by a dazzling light, hand instantly reach up to guard your poor eyes. A bit of a warning would have been appreciated, but you doubted Lucas would want to take away from the impact. After a few moments the light dimmed to a more bearable level, though still rather radiant. But if you squinted you could make out a small figure now standing on top of the fragment. Their form was almost simplistic, like a doll in a paper chain with limbs fixed out at stiff angles. But they appeared as though their body consisted of condensed light, primarily of the purest white, though glinting in various tones of the rainbow like a crystal. There were no facial features upon the small head, but as they gave a rather rigid wave, green sparks popped around them.

“Greetings, mortal.”

“I come in peace, Hyperion.” As the initial shock wore off, your inner dork could not pass up the chance to give the little light a Vulcan salute. Lucas shook with contained laughter as Hyperion almost cocked their head in confusion. You laughed off his worries and held out you pinky finger to shake. After a moment he took the digit between his two arm-like limbs. Instantly you felt an electrical spark charge up your arm, though more pleasant than painful. It was pure magick.

“It’s nice to meet you.” You gave them a gentle smile as they released you. “So, not to be rude, but what exactly are you…?”

A few sparks of yellow surprise nearly flickered into your face. Apparently Hyperion thought the answer was rather obvious, but a typical mortal could not comprehend his existence.

“I am the heart of a star, child, its soul.”

“And my familiar.” Lucas added with a slight shrug, as if it was a simple matter. But you could only stare in awe. He already had a familiar? They had not even had their first class and this guy had a familiar, a star no less. You had thought familiars were limited to just animals, not fiery rocks from outer space. The idea was almost dizzying and more than a little difficult to wrap your mind around, despite Hyperion standing before your very eyes.

“Wow…” Was about all the intelligent words you could muster as you met Lucas’ gaze with a breathy laugh, “This is really impressive, Luke. Guess I’m a little…star struck.”

“Oh gods, that was terrible and you know it.” But Lucas laughed despite himself and even a soft whistle of laughter could be heard from his familiar.

“But I bet you have some interesting stories as well, right?” Your face fell slightly as the laughter died down and once more Lucas attempted to pry a bit into your past. Teeth tugged at your lower lip as your mind scattered to find a reasonable reply. It was not that you were ashamed of your past or involvement with magick. You had never hurt a soul, nor used your limited abilities for misdeeds. The truth was you were afraid of what you were capable of. Ever since you could remember, your magick was more of a curse than a blessing, embarrassing you and haunting the corners of your subconscious. 

In all honesty, if you knew of a way to remove your magick, you likely would have taken it. For who in their right mind would want to manipulate an irrational fear?

“Nah, like I said, your abilities are far more fascinating. Trust me.” Once more you dodged his inquiries and you swore you could see him almost pout in reply.

“Oh, come on, I’ve been talking your ear off this whole time. I’m sure your stories are just as good, if not better. And we’ve got to pass the time somehow until-“

“The Headmaster and Headmistress will see you now.”

_Saved._

You nearly sprang from your seat as if to outrun his words. Though Lucas noticed your odd behavior, he held his tongue to simply smile and follow your sudden lead. Hyperion seemed to sink back into the meteorite with a flash of sparks, which Lucas then tucked back safely beneath his shirt. Once you were ready,the lizard monster guided you both down a narrow hall to the Headmaster and Headmistress’ office. The corridor was relatively bare aside from a few tapestries and one particularly vivid painting of golden blossoms that caught your eye.

“Right this way.”

With a warm smile the secretary held the door to a lavish office open for you both to proceed. There was a small flip in the pit of your stomach as your nerves threatened your resolve, but you held them at bay with feigned confidence. Perhaps Lucas was already rubbing off on you.

“Ah, yes, Mister Merriweather, Miss (L/n). We are glad you made it in time. I trust your journeys were not too troublesome.”

In an instant your sad excuse for assurance melted. Standing before you behind two elegant ebony desks were a monster and woman, a mage, you wagered. Your eyes flitted between the two of them, unable to determine which was more intimidating. The monster was a bipedal tortoise, his earthy skin weathered and aged. You could only wonder how old he might be as he scrutinized you with a single reptilian eye, a pith helmet poised atop his crown. Beside him was a woman who could only be described as “regal”. Though age likewise tugged at her features, she was no less striking. Her face was stern and her peppered hair swooped up in a haphazard bun, pieces trailing down to frame her face. Unlike all the children’s novels, neither was dressed in outlandish robes, merely business casual attire. In a way it was almost disappointing, but you supposed not everything could be like a fantasy tale.

“Oh, ah, yes, ma’am. We got here in one piece, right, (Y/n)?”

Biting back a squeak as your reply, you instead gave a stiff nod, eyes flickering down to your boots as you shuffled from foot to foot with anxiety. Once more you were thankful that Lucas took the lead and actually gave the woman a proper reply.

“Relax, kid, you look like you’re about to combust. Makes me glad you’re not a fire elementalist.” The tortoise monster gave a gritty laugh at his own joke and you half expected a dust cloud to be coughed up in the process

“Headmaster Gerson is correct, young ones. Trust that you can be at ease here. I am Headmistress Adelaide Blackbriar. I hope that in the coming months you find our humble academy to be something akin to home to you both.”

Her formal speech only added to her stately presence that seemed to fill the entire room. 

“Enough with the formalities, Addy, let’s just get these kids settled. Opening ceremonies is only a few hours away.”

It was almost humorous how Blackbriar pinched the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb with eyes fluttered shut, clearly exhausted by Gerson’s informal antics. However, the ancient monster did have a point. She quickly shuffled aside some papers on her desk until she produced two small booklets. In elegant gold leaf they read “Student Handbook” on the cover, which she swiftly handed to you and Lucas.

“I trust you both will give these a thorough read. We take conduct here very seriously. Any violation of these rules will not be tolerated, understand?”

Even Lucas seemed to shiver at her words and wither as Gerson’s gaze drifted to him. Despite their somewhat comical banter, both seemed to hold their authority with good reason. You never thought you would find a tortoise so intimidating.

“You will both be rooming in the freshman dorms, of course. We prefer to divide students by academic experience, rather than character traits or inherent abilities.”

Well at least you would not have to worry about competition or house points. The only person you could possibly let down at this academy would be yourself…and maybe your parents  
.  
“Libby!”

Gerson leaned towards the door, bushy gray brows furrowed as he called down the hall. The shuffle of padded feet could be heard down the hall, accompanied by a much lighter set. There was a soft thud and shuffling for a brief moment before their steps continued.

“Yes, sir, I’m here.” The lizard secretary popped around the doorframe once more, slightly out of breath, but none the worse for wear.

“Did you fetch the kid?”

“Yes, of course.” Stepping aside they made way for yet another monster to entire the room. This one was significantly shorter than the rest and looked a bit like a lizard with only two legs. They gave a nervous laugh, stumbling slightly as they charged up to the desks.

“Y-you called, Headmaster Gerson, sir, Headmistress Blackbriar, ma’am.”

You did your best not to stare at the unfamiliar monster whose appearance was possibly more unusual than that of the giant reptiles you had met so far. However their cheery smile exuded innocence and was, dare you say, contagious. You found yourself smiling as well, which they returned upon glancing your way.

“M.K., these are our newest students, Lucas and (Y/n). They’re freshman, same as you. If it would not be too much trouble, we would appreciate you showing them to the dorms so they might settle in a bit before dinner.”

The little monster almost beamed with pride, honored to be given such an important duty.

“I sure can, ma’am.” Turning to you and Lucas, M.K. grinned, tail twitching with excitement, “Com’mon, humans, let’s go dump your luggage before the ceremony.”

Without further ado, the monster skittered out of the room, only to stumble and completely wipe out as they attempted to round the corner to the hall. You let out a little gasp of worry, but were relieved to see M.K. recover without so much as batting an eye. Apparently this was a common occurrence. You gave Lucas a curious glance, but he only shrugged with a lopsided grin and followed after your guide. Casting one final glance to Gerson and Blackbriar, you offered an appreciative smile before hurrying along.

“You’re both gonna love it here, trust me. This place is HUUUGE! And the food is amaaazing. Oh and the beds are super soft too. Even the classes aren’t too boring, so I’ve heard at least. I CAN’T WAIT for the defensive magick class. My absolute hero is teaching it, Undyne, and she’s just, WOW, just SO COOL! And…”

You giggled as M.K. went on about Ebott Academy and their apparent role model as they lead you back through the main office. Your luggage still remained beside the door to the entrance foyer, which you and Lucas picked up to drag along behind you once more. M.K. barely gave you a chance to right your suitcase before skittering down the hall to areas unknown, forcing you both to take longer strides to keep up with their rapid short ones. No wonder this monster fell so often with how they flitted about. But somehow their enthusiasm was beginning to spread and you felt your soul lift. Perhaps this would not be as dreadful as you were initially predicting. Your imagination always did have a knack for running off. Doubts still lingered, but they settled quietly in the back of your mind as curiosity and excitement bubbled past, a genuine smile settling on your features. 

_Maybe I have finally come home…_

* * *

 

“A penny for your thoughts, Addy?”

The Headmistress stiffened slightly at the nickname, much preferring the more formal “Adelaide”. Regardless, Gerson could easily see past her stern exterior to her inner turmoil. Centuries of accumulated wisdom had a way of heightening one’s intuition. A rather exhausted sigh escaped the woman, her shoulders slumping as she brought up a hand to rub her temple. This had been a difficult admission with numerous unknown factors, but she had anticipated as much. It left her weary and buried deep in troublesome thoughts. Though he did not voice it, Gerson shared her worries. It seemed with each passing year the vastness and variety of magick abilities seemed to expand among the student body. Even to this day, the old tortoise still found himself surprised.

“…Do you think she will be alright? After all, we know so little…”

Gerson tugged at his wiry silver beard, mulling over his thoughts and choosing his words carefully to reply. If he were to be honest, nothing was assured. It had been over a thousand years since he had seen the sun and much had changed on the surface in that time. Magick was never a static force, it adapted and mutated with time. Even he would not call himself a master of such energy in truth. An unsettling silence seemed to befall between the two, uncertainty almost tangible in the air.

“Wow, hasn’t even been an hour, an’ you’re both already doubting my judgement? I’m heartbroken…or, well, I would be if-”

“Watch it, boy. Your shenanigans were banned from this office remember?” Gerson snapped over his shoulder at the voice that all but shattered the silence. A rich baritone laugh filled the room, easing the tension if only a little.

“Ya know, a smile could give ya a pretty nice face-lift, grandpa.”

Adelaide’s lips curled with bemusement as her fellow staff member began to grumble and round on their intruder. She placed a gentle hand on his shell, soothing the old tortoise.

“Now, now, the year has only just begun. You cannot be at each other’s throats just yet.”

“But, lady, I don’t have-”

A slender hand was held up, silencing the voice before he could torment poor Gerson further. Her gaze shifted from the company and back to the open office door, thoughts drifting back to their newest students.

“I do not doubt your judgement for a moment. I am merely concerned about how she will adjust. Her apprehension over her magick will hold her back if she cannot bring herself to overcome her fears.”

Gerson gave a grunt of agreement. You had nearly been crumbling before their very eyes under the pressure, which he found both amusing and troubling. While there was certain joys in watching the newest generations rise to the occasion, the monster found your future full of uncertainty. Under normal circumstances he could read a person’s character like a book and predict where they would be years into the future with incredible accuracy. But not you. You were an enigma, an unknown variable, and that fact perturbed him.

“…So ya want me to continue keepin’ an eye on her?” The question was met with silence, but that was all that was needed for confirmation. The soft rustle of fabric was the only indication of his rather indifferent shrug in agreement.

“‘S alright. After all, “watching” is kind of in the job title, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, I wonder who that voice could belong to??? Such mind-boggling mystery~.
> 
> ...Okay, it's pretty obvious, but shhhhh. On a side note, have you ever noticed how few NPCs have names? At least I get to be a little creative with them this way. Do you all know who Libby is from the game?
> 
> Anyway, originally this chapter was going to be a lot longer because I thought it wasn't going to be very lengthy up to this point, but it actually turned out quite reasonable. Thus next chapter we will be partaking in the year's Opening Ceremony and dinner. The Harry Potter vibes are strong, ngl.
> 
> Once again, thank you for reading, lovelies. ♥


	3. Starved for Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the reader is spooked, food is consumed, and warnings are given.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *"Spooky Scary Skeletons" plays faintly in the background*
> 
> Seriously though, what are chapter titles and how do I make them not sound vague and dumb? v(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)v

“A-and THEN, then she punched me in the FACE…it was AWESOME!”

You were only slightly concerned by M.K.’s ramblings as you continued down the winding halls of Ebott Academy, luggage in tow. Though you walked a pace behind Lucas, judging from the way his shoulders trembled ever so slightly, you surmised he was attempting to contain his amusement. It was rather humorous that the monster was overjoyed at being injured by their hero. Clearly, the damage had not been intentional, but it was still rather funny to think that M.K. looked up to someone enough to be alright with taking a “knuckle sandwich”. You hoped it was just a quirk of the little monster and not all of them found violence to be a sign of affection or admiration. It seemed unlikely, but you were beginning to come accustomed to not writing anything off immediately.

As you steadily followed your guide through the castle, you only caught a few words as they bounced off the walls and echoed down the corridors. Your eyes drifted about the unfamiliar scenery, passing more elaborate tapestries that depicted historical scenes from both mages and monsters. The late afternoon sun set the images aglow, causing the threads to catch the light and glint with vibrant colors. You could have sworn you spotted a few scenes slowly moving, endlessly reenacting their woven moments, but perhaps it was just a trick of the light and your weary mind. With so much going on, so many changes, your body felt as if you had run a marathon. You all but dragged yourself behind your two classmates, mind drifting to lazy musings of enchanted threads and fires that lined the walls. Occasionally you would pass a door and peer in with mild curiosity before moving on, though most appeared to just be classrooms or offices.

You were distracted, tired, and only vaguely aware of your surroundings. Thus it was no surprise when you seemed to trip out of nowhere. Needless to say, you were used to falling at this point, you practically anticipated it, but never the less you let out a little squeak of surprise. Releasing the handle of your suitcase you made to catch yourself before your face hit the ground; your eyes squeezed shut to brace for the inevitable impact. This was going to hurt, considering the ground was solid stone.

But the shooting pains never came. Instead you felt a lurch around your waist as something sturdy wrapped firmly around it, catching your fall.

“Easy there, (Y/n), I got you.” Lucas’ somewhat breathless voice came close to your ear as he hauled you back up, only a couple feet from the unforgiving stone. “I didn’t take you for a klutz. Are you alright?”

He gave a relieved laugh as you clung to his open plaid shirt for support, eyes as wide as a doe with surprise. With one foot firmly planted of the ground once more, you did your best to dislodge the other, which was quickly going numb. Shadows had a curious effect on the body. For the average individual, one merely feels cooler in the shade. But as someone who could manipulate them into something substantial, the side effects were much more prominent. It was like pins and needles, an eerie chill that settled into the very bones of any limb that decided to slip in. Even though you had been dealing with the problem for years it still never failed to disturb you. But you did your best not to glance behind you, not wanting to alarm Lucas, and quite frankly you did not want to see the shadows dripping off your shoe like smoky tendrils.

“Y-yeah, I’m good.” You forced a smile to your lips, recovering as best you could, “Just caught my heel on my suitcase is all.”

Once you fully righted yourself, Lucas let his hands fall away, only to retrieve your fallen luggage and hand it back to you with a smile. 

“Com’mon you two, we’re almost there!” You both glanced back to your guide who was impatiently waiting several feet ahead. He almost appeared to pout as you hurried to follow once more, clearly not one for taking things at an easy pace.

* * *

It was only a few more minutes of nearly powerwalking down hallways and through foyers until the three of you stopped before a large set of heavy wooden doors. Intricate carvings of monsters and mages decorated the door alongside various runes and a sign similar to that of the main office hung above, bearing the words “First Year Dormitory”. M.K. held the door for you and Lucas with their head as you shuffled in with your luggage in tow.

“So this is the common area. A lot of people like to gather in here and just hang out, ya know? Some nerds like to study, buuut that’s probably easier in the Athenaeum.”

The interior of the common room was unlike anything you had seen in a typical human college. Rather than nondescript furniture and blank neutral walls, the room could best be described as “cozy”. The walls were rich cream tones with cherry wood trim, various tapestries were draped about which you made note to exam later in your spare time. Various plush rugs were scattered about the hardwood floors, particularly in front of a massive fireplace that was currently gated off and extinguished to not encourage the summer heat that still lingered. Enchanted torches like the ones that lined the corridors kept the large circular space well-lit with a warm glow. As you gazed about a few students here and there glanced up from their lounging to give welcoming smiles or small waves. Some were skimming through books from the shelves that filled the corners of the room, another pair working on the latest Junior Jumble together on a leather couch. Overall, the atmosphere was extremely relaxed, almost tranquil, which was unlike any school experience you had in the past. Granted, the year had not even officially started yet, so there was a chance that would change once the homework was piled on.

“Through that door is the kitchen. It’s kinda small, but usually pretty well stocked with snacks and stuff. Oh! And the bathroom and showers are down there.”

The little monster seemed to bounce about the room, drawing a few curious gazes, but no one really seemed too surprised. Apparently they all grew accustomed to M.K.’s bubbly behavior, which you found yourself quickly adjusting to as well. They went on pointing out a few more key features of the space, such as where to place trash or about quiet hours before bounding up a flight of spiraling stairs.

“Up here are the actual rooms. Since the classes are pretty small we all get our own rooms. It’s pretty SWEET.” Leading you past several closed doors and a few left ajar, M.K. paused, “Oh, they’re all co-ed too. I, uh, know sometimes humans like to keep everyone super separate and…confined? Buuut here we’re all just kinda scattered about.”

The prospect of living closely alongside those of other gender identities hardly bothered you, the idea of division fairly archaic and unnecessary in your opinion. Especially since a number of monsters, as well as humans did not specify between genders or preferred to remain fluid. You sincerely doubted anyone would attempt anything vulgar at the academy, not with such intimidating staff and the threat of expulsion.

“Anyway, you two are right across the hall from each other, so that’s cool.”

M.K. stopped between two closed doors marked 122 and 123 and passed you an antique brass key they dug out of their pocket with their tail. The detailed handle ended in a four pointed star. They gave the same to Lucas and gestured to your respective rooms.

“Sooo…that’s that. For now, I guess. I’ll let you two chill and unpack. The Opening Ceremonies and banquet are at six, sharp. Be there, or be square.”

And with a cheeky little grin, the reptilian monster was skittering back down the hall, only stumbling twice. You sent out a silent prayer to any god that would listen that the little tyke would make it down the stairs in one piece. The soft scraping of metal on metal drew your gaze back to Lucas who was already unlocking his room. He paused for a moment in the door frame to take a look before rolling his bag inside.

“Ya know, (Y/n),” Tossing the luggage beside a neatly made twin bed, Lucas turned back to you with a genuine smile, “I think this is going to be good, ya know? Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous coming here, but after seeing all this and that warm welcome…meeting you…I think this is going to work out.”

You did not consider Lucas an insincere person, but his words came across as more heartfelt than his usual witty banter. Though he had charged into the school without so much as a second glance back to his old life, you supposed even he harbored some insecurities beneath all the confidence. Returning his warm smile you unlocked your own door,

“Yeah, I think you’re right. I mean,” your fingers hesitate around the cool brass handle, “I was really anxious, and I still am a bit for the future…but you’re right, Luke. I think we’re both going to be just fine.”

_At least until classes start._

But you kept those final thoughts to yourself as you gave your friend a quick wave before sliding into your room and quietly shutting the door behind you. The space was small, but cozy and decorated in a similar style to the common area with warm, earth tones. You set your suitcase against the wall before giving a huge stretch, several joints cracking pleasantly in the process. It was still rather early and you had a few hours of free time before dinner. However exhaustion and general laziness sapped your motivation to begin unpacking. So instead you removed your light jacket, hanging it over the cushioned chair that sat before a large desk before tugging the heavy curtains over the two large windows that lit your room. Instantly the space was plunged into darkness and you could not refrain from shuddering. Common sense told you to keep the blinds open, but you knew your body, the betrayer, would be unable to rest with all that light. Darkness was a necessary evil is you wanted to take a quick nap. After all you would prefer not to embarrass yourself only hours after your arrival by falling asleep, face-first in your dinner.

Turning back to the room from the final window you found there was still enough light to make out shapes of furniture and you made your way to bed. It was slightly raised to give extra space, but you managed to hop up without too much trouble. M.K. had been right to say the beds were comfortable, you almost purred as your body sank into the soft mattress. Before you let yourself relax too much you were careful to set an alarm for five o’clock so you could be ready for the banquet. That aside, you snuggled down beneath the sheets and nestled your head into the pillows. Everything felt heavy and you briefly wondered if it was just because you were tired or how tangible the shadows were. It seemed that being in such a magick-dense space made the darkness more substantial around you, and it clung to you like blanket. Normally the numbness would make you uneasy, but with sleep weighing on your eyes it was almost comforting, like a hug. Unconsciousness beckoned you like an old friend.

* * *

_[…]_

Static filled your ears in the familiar darkness. It was always the same, just darkness. You never dreamed anymore, but you were no longer disappointed about that. This was the norm for you and had been for about three years. The shadows had moved from your waking world to invade your dreams as well. You had long since resigned yourself to there being no escape. So instead you floated there, an odd sort of weightlessness about you in that all-encompassing blackness. You could not even tell if your eyes were “open” or “closed” in this dream, but it hardly made a difference with how infinite the darkness was. The first time you found your subconscious here you were terrified, but now the utter vacancy and white noise was practically soothing. You surmised it had something to do with innate in utero comforts…or you were just losing your mind. Either way you could not bother to care. You were here now in this empty space, same as always. 

_[…F...INAL…LY.]_  
Your eyes were open, of that much you were certain, but your dream-self still could not see anything. Perhaps you were just hearing things, your wandering mind trying to make sense of the endless static. You were alone here. This place was empty aside from you. Vacant. Cold.

There was no voice.

_[…WAIT…ED…SO...LONG…]_

You would have bet your Ebott Academy acceptance letter that you were physically hyperventilating in your bed just as you now were in your dream. That had been too loud, far too clear to be an illusion or mistake. Your mind was not playing tricks on you. You were not alone. As you came to terms with this you were almost ashamed you had not noticed sooner. Perhaps you were so used to the same dream for years that you could not distinguish any small change, but they were there. The darkness felt thicker, rolling over you in a chilling caress. It felt alive, breathing, shifting. The shadows were…almost excited, as if they had been anticipating this moment. Could darkness even _feel_? Abruptly all your thoughts were cut off, dead in their tracks.

Something cold, _firm_ , brushed against the curve of your cheekbone. It was slight, feather light, but it was there.

_[…FINALLY…(Y/N)…]_

You fell out of your bed, screaming.

* * *

“(Y/N)?! BY THE GODS, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!”

A frantic voice silenced your screams, throat already hoarse. How long had you been trapped in that nightmare that felt only too real? Vaguely you were aware of the alarm going off on your phone, as well as the incessant pounding at your locked door.

“(Y/N), PLEASE, ANSWER BEFORE I BREAK THE DAMN DOOR DOWN!”

“F-FINE!” Your voice broke with a toxic mix of pain and fear. Everything hurt and you were completely disoriented. “I…I’m fine, Luke.”

The pounding stopped at your door, but continued to torment your head. A soft thud was all you heard and you could almost see Lucas standing at your door, forehead resting against the cool wood as he attempted to calm his own frantic heart. Meanwhile you remained on the floor, not trusting your legs.

“M.K. went to find a staff member.” His voice was low, but wary and still strained with concern.

“NO!” The words were instinctive, out before you could reign in some self-control. There was muffled shifting behind the door, startled by your voice. But the last thing you needed was to cause an uproar. You had only just arrived; you did not want to become a “problem student” all over a silly night terror. Frantically, you moved to scramble to your feet, but there was a firm tug at your left hand that sent you falling back to your butt. It was difficult to make out in the darkness of the room, which had only grown heavier in the few hours that had passed, but your hand had sunken into the shadows of the floor. You were wrist-deep in the blackness, digits almost painfully numb. But that was not why you had to stifle another scream with your free hand. It was the fact that you were not simply sinking into the shadows, but that they were grabbing you back, crawling up your forearm.

There was the distinct shape of a hand.

* * *

“S-so…uh, t-tell me again, w-w-what happened?”

 

You did your best to refrain from sighing with annoyance. This had to be the third time you went over the story. But you figured you should humor the monster, after all she was just trying to help. Squirming slightly in your desk chair, you steadied your voice to tell the half-truth you had settled on.

“I had a nightmare and fell out of bed. It hurt, so I screamed. That’s all.”

“A-are you s-s-sure?”

“ _Yes._ ”

The small dinosaur, who you had learned was named Doctor Alphys, flinched at your harsh tone. Instantly you regretted your words and attempted to make up for them with an apologetic smile. She meant well, you could not fault her for that, and as the resident health official for the campus, as well as an instructor she was just doing her job. With nimble movements for her stubby fingers, Alphys carefully bandaged the small cut on your arm you had received in your tumble. She had already checked for a concussion and any other serious injuries, but aside from the slight gash you were fine. You had already been assured that with the medicinal ointment she applied it would be healed in only a couple days without scarring, which was a relief. Magick was often quite convenient.

“W-well, uh, y-you two b-b-better hurry.” Alphys straightened and glanced behind her to where Lucas was brooding against the wall, arms folded, “T-the b-banquet will be s-starting soon.”

Shit, you had completely forgotten about that. Hopefully you did not look too frazzled from the ordeal because there was hardly time to clean yourself up. Standing you ran your fingers through your hair with your uninjured hand to settle any flyaways as the monster padded out of the room. Lucas pushed himself from the wall, and you could feel his eyes boring into your skull. You met his gaze with hesitation, still slightly embarrassed he had to deal with your outburst, though you were rather touched by his concern. Silence fell between you, unanswered questions hanging in the air. Finally, Lucas sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck with irritation.

“Let me guess, we’re not going to talk about this, are we?”

“Nope.” Your voice was almost too cheery with relief and you had to bite your cheek to hold back giggles at Lucas’ pouty face. But he did not push the matter further and just made his way out into the hall, gesturing for you to follow. You gave one last passing glance to your bed; sheets still a tangled mess before leaving, a slight chill sending ghostly fingers down your spine.

* * *

It was fortunate M.K. had taken you the long way to the first year dorms, pointing out as many places of significance in the process. The banquet hall had been one of them, though you did not get a chance to peek inside since the space was being set for late events. But at least you and Lucas knew exactly where you were headed since the small map in your student handbook was rather confusing to take in. The campus was far larger and more complex than you had originally anticipated, but at least the staircases did not move on their own.

“I wonder if the food is as great as M.K. mentioned.” Lucas did his best to make small talk to pass the time as you headed to the banquet hall, “They said the head chef is some sort of, and I quote, ‘cooking god from hell’.”

You snorted at the description, a ridiculous image of the devil in an apron that read “kiss the cook” floating through your mind. Satan himself was probably not cooking your meals, but it did not make the idea any less funny. Your banter certainly seemed to relax after the laughter, past tension finally subsiding. By the time you made it to the giant doors that led to the banquet hall you were chatting back and forth with Lucas, completely at ease. You would deal with more magick matters later; it would be inevitable if you wanted to sleep tonight.

The hall, though still keeping to the same rustic style of the castle, was more like a college dining hall in design. Round tables were scattered about without any real sense of organization so that students of all years could mingle together; most of the seats were already filled with only a few stragglers still getting food. Though, you did notice may of the first years tended to keep to their own, if only for a small sense of familiarity. The food was a mix of self-serving buffet and small specialty stations towards the back of the massive space. Hardly anyone paid you or Lucas any mind as you entered, already too engrossed in their meals or conversations to care, which was fine by you. You both made your way to the back, grabbing a tray as you started to peruse the selections, and there certainly were many. The options varied from food you recognized to those you did not, which you assumed was food native to the Underground. You had never tried monster food before, but you could not deny you were curious and Lucas seemed eager as well as he piled up a plate. After a bit of debate you compiled a salad, as well as a plate of fries. However, you hovered at the grill area, debating what to choose. There were all sorts of meats and sandwiches, but one item in particular grabbed your interest. You sort of stood there in silence, trying to determine exactly what it was.

“Hotcat. They’re _purr_ etty good, kid. Heh, even I can _stomach_ ‘em.”

A deep voice just behind you sent you jumping nearly a foot in the air, startled out of your wits. Thankfully you did not disrupt your tray as you turned around to confront the punny stranger, lips upturned in a smile at the jokes despite yourself. But you found no one there. You blinked for a few moments, completely baffled. Had the individual run off to another area of the buffet? You peered around on your tip toes, trying to spot an unfamiliar face, but you only saw Lucas by the dessert table and a few kitchen staff lingering behind the counters. Somehow the stranger had completely evaded you in a matter of moments. That or you were going crazy and you were hearing voices outside your dreams now too. At this point, you would not be surprised. But you did your best to shrug off the random intrusion and turned back to the grill station. A smile pulled at your features as your eyes settled back on the food you now knew to be a “hotcat”. It made sense, looking like a hotdog in a bun, but with one end vaguely shaped like the silhouette of a cat’s head. You picked one out with a pair of tongues, careful not to drop it when it made a little “meow” before heading over to where Lucas was waiting for you.

“M.K. grabbed a couple seats for us over there. Let’s go.” 

Following after Lucas, you could not shake the feeling of eyes on you. But you tried to write it off as paranoia left from your night terror. There was no sense in ruining the lighthearted mood of your first dinner at Ebott Academy with anxiety or else you would lose your appetite. That truly would have been a shame considering how absolutely amazing the food tasted. You had to stop yourself between a couple bites to make sure you were not drooling. The salad was fresh, vegetables cut to uniform perfection, and the fries were crisp and hot out of the friar. Even the hotcat was delicious, though it did not taste exactly like the hotdogs you were familiar with. M.K. clarified that it was actually a water sausage, or cattail as they were also known by. Rather than be ill by the unfamiliar ingredient you only found yourself laughing harder, careful to cover your mouth so as not to give anyone an unpleasant view. You got a few confused looks from the monsters and mages seated with you, but you merely waved them off, remarking it was an inside joke. Suddenly the pun made even more sense, which in turn made it even funnier. Your meal went on with idle banter about the coming year and thoughts on the classes. Thankfully the conversation stayed away from individual magick.

“Good evening, students.” 

Hush fell over the entire hall as a familiar voice rang over the speakers you only just now noticed in the corners of the ceiling. Glancing in the direction of the voice you saw Headmistress Blackbriar at a podium, microphone in hand. Her voice was still stern, though she did smile at the student body before her, a warm sparkle to her eyes. Headmaster Gerson stood beside her looking significantly taller than he did in the main office. You guessed they had placed him on a step stool so he had a better view over the podium. Behind them were a series of tables you had not noticed, but by the way they were set aside and the individuals seated at them, it was likely the staff. A mix of adult mages and monsters were seated, eyes on their leaders or passing over the students. You refrained from staring too much so as not to draw attention, though you were curious as to who would be teaching you for the next four years.

“Thus begins another year at Ebott Academy of Magick and with it we welcome new students and new strides to unity and education.” Blackbriar took a moment to let her gaze settle on the clusters of first years in acknowledgement before continuing, “Myself, Gerson, and the entire staff are happy to have you all sharing this opportunity with us and we hope that you find the Academy to be like a second home to you. At this school we are not merely faculty and students, or mages and monsters. We are family, tied together with the bonds of magick that connect us all on this earth.”

At this point the Headmistress passed the microphone to the monster beside her. Gerson cleared his throat before picking up where she had left off.

“That being said, we have a few key points we want to go over at the start of this year. So you kids better clear the wax out of your ears and listen up.” There were a few snickers among the older students, completely unfazed, while several first years appeared tense. “You were all given handbooks upon arrival that listed the policies of the school. We expect you to follow them to the ‘t’, ya hear? Any blatant disregard for the rules and we will take action. So make sure you give ‘em a good read unless you want to be packing your bags.”

Well you knew what you would be doing after dinner. You had enough problems with your magick that you did not need ignorance as another reason to risk expulsion.

“There are a few rules in particular we want to emphasize.” Gerson cleared his throat and you could hear the soft shuffle of paper, “No magic is to be used in the hallways of the campus. It’s a hazard, got it? Also magick should never be used for offensive means. Anybody who uses magick with the intent to harm another student will be removed from the campus immediately. There’s also the laboratories in basement. They’re off-limits without express, written permission from Doctor Alphys.

“Finally,” You noticed the tortoise set the paper aside in favor of peering over the students, expression incredibly serious, “Under no circumstances is anyone allowed to draw their soul out into the open. Understand? This rule is for both your safety and that of those around you. That’s all.”

Even the older students fell silent at that, their faces equally as serious. You were vaguely aware of souls and their function, but it had never settled in how important they were until now. Up until The Emergence, humanity was hardly even aware of the soul’s existence, but apparently monsters were incredibly knowledgeable on the subject. All you knew was that they were the very essence of a person’s being, and the source of a mage’s magic. They were also extremely private and to show one’s soul was the equivalent of stripping naked, if not worse. Not to mention it made one vulnerable to attack. The rule was an understandable one that you intended to follow from the start, despite your curiosity at what your own soul looked like.

“Rules aside, we do wish for you to have a fulfilling and enjoyable time here at Ebott Academy.” Blackbriar did her best to calm the sudden tension that seemed to weigh over the hall, “Together we will achieve goals and gain new understandings of magick and its potentials. Here we are all equals, we are all family, and we will encourage and support one another as we pursue our craft.”

Raising her arms, the Headmistress captured the attention of all,

“May all higher powers bless this gathering and the coming year with fresh discoveries and the chance to gain a better understanding of ourselves, each other and the world which we share.”

There was a sudden roar of applause, several students standing to cheer on the faculty heads. You followed suit as well, though your stomach still twisted as Gerson’s words of warning rang in your mind.

“Now, eat your fill, kids. Be sure to check your schedule in the back of your handbooks as classes start bright ‘n early tomorrow morning.”

Calm and merriment seemed to settle back over the student body as Gerson and Blackbriar left the podium to return to their meals as well. Though you were not quite as hungry as you were before the speeches, you felt it would have been a sin to let such delicious food go to waste. You completely cleared your plate, much to your stomach’s protests. Much of your table was still in deep conversation, though a few had left for the evening. You stood as well, letting Lucas know you were heading out. He paused his conversation with a fellow mage, smiling and wishing you more pleasant dreams for the evening. After returning his wishes you left your table and made your way to the dish station where several kitchen staff members stood to receive the dirty trays. You awkwardly made your way up to a cat monster, lounging against the counter, unsure of what to do. He gave you a chill smile and beckoned you over.

“Here, lil’ dude, I’ll take that.”

“Ah, thank you very much.” You passed the tray off and were about to turn away when you paused, “Oh, could you give my compliments to the chef. The food truly was impeccable.”

The monster, B.P. read his faculty name tag, was slightly surprised at first, before a bemused grin settled on his features. Leaning back over the counter, he called out with a grin,

“Ay! Grillby! Kid here said the food was good! Wanted to let ya know!”

You flushed slightly, not expecting the guy to yell out to his supervisor right in front of you. But you saw his grin stretch as there was movement from the back room behind the counter. Curious, you looked as well only to nearly gasp with surprise.

M.K. had not been entirely off with his description of the head chef. A man literally made of fire peered around the corner, dressed smartly in a button down shirt with dress pants and matching waistcoat. If you squinted you could almost make out features within the inferno, eyes, maybe a mouth as well. His flames seemed to spark at the complement and you could have sworn the flames towards the middle of his face turned a light shade of blue, as if he had turned up the heat of his own fire. Words were lost to you, so instead you gave him a sincere smile and wave to which he nodded briefly in reply with a small crackle like a bonfire. You hurried off after the exchange, thoughts vaguely pondering how his clothes managed to not be set on fire as well. It was probably magick or flame-resistant fabric.

The walk back to the dorms was rather uneventful, having only passed a few students on your way. Somehow you managed not to get lost. You did not even trip in the shadows on your way, and you had the strange feeling that they were having mercy on you after an already tiresome day. You were grateful if that were the case. Of course, sleep was still unavoidable and sleep meant returning to _that_ dream. Would the voice return? Would something else try to touch you? Would you end up with a concussion on top of your already injured arm, falling out of bed once again? These fears plagued you as you stared your bed down, already washed and changed into your pajamas. Unless you desired to be a zombie for your first day of classes you knew you would have to face your nightmares. But before closing your eyes you sent up a silent prayer to anyone that would listen to bless you with some sort of peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters keep getting longer and I keep spitting one out a day. I'm just going to say now: don't get used to it. As much as I would love to be able to keep up with this pace, sometimes life can suck and muses can suck. So until I feel like putting a schedule to this, the update times and lengths may vary, just as a heads-up.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for the read and I hope you are all enjoying it so far. Things are really starting to pick up for the reader. We've got our first round of classes in the next chapter, so get ready to get SK00LD. *finger guns*


	4. The Reality of Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the reader is confronted by their worst fear...and sashays away~.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2COOL4SKOOL. Let the classes begin. Poor reader is gonna have one hell of a bad time. ( ￣３￣)～♪
> 
> Side Note: I highly recommend listening to music by Wardruna once the action starts rolling during reader's first class. Particularly the song "Rotlaust Tre Fell", it vibes the whole ordeal well (and is a pretty amazing song calling on the Norse pantheon).

Sunlight streamed in through the thick curtains, left ajar last night. Already birds were concluding the final verses of their morning concerto as dew slowly evaporated from the foliage. It was peaceful, picturesque one might say, across the campus of Ebott Academy. There were only a few souls up and about the grounds, mostly staff tending to their duties. The students were either still lost in their dreams or only just beginning to stir and prepare for the coming day.

It was tranquil, quiet, and you sat in your bed, utterly baffled as you stared up at the ceiling. 

Your sleep had been probably some of the best you had managed in years. Distinctly your groggy mind recalled guarding itself for the worst that night. After the events of only a late afternoon nap you anticipated your dreams to be far more disturbing in a full night’s sleep. But for reasons unknown to you, they were not. You were still trapped in that perpetual blackness, suspended in space, but it was nothing compared to your previous nap. The shadows appeared just as active and substantial, but instead of haunting caresses, it felt as though you were being cradled. While you were never one for coddling and considered yourself an independent individual, wrapped up in that darkness as you were was like the sweetest cocoon. Your inner child found such peace, such safety curled up in there. 

All was silent in the darkness.

There was no voice, not even static white noise. You felt deprived of your senses, but rather than panicking in the silence, it was comforting. Perhaps the ordeal earlier that afternoon truly had been your mind playing tricks on you.

_No…_

You rolled over to your side, limbs still tangled in sheets as your features were set in thought too deep for the morning hours. But you knew you had not been mistaken. Even though the voice did not make an appearance, you could still sense its presence. It was something akin to a sixth sense. You were beginning to pick up on the emotions within the darkness, like empathy, but with shadows. The idea was confusing and a bit unnerving if you were to be honest. The darkness was bad enough before it apparently became sentient. Despite the silence you found that night, you knew the voice was still there, watching. If the emotions you were picking up on had anything to do with it, you hesitated to say the voice was…remorseful? Or cautious, really. As if it was aware of the fear it had instilled in you and regretted it. Had it truly not intended to scare you? Cause you harm? 

_Too bad it already did._

It was far too early to be bristling and on edge. But if this voice thought one night of restful sleep was enough to earn your favor, then it had another thing coming. You remained terrified, confused, and without anyone to seek answers or comfort from. Something about entering this school had changed the activity of your magick and that was concerning. Logic prompted you to speak to a professor and get this sorted out before matters were made worse, but irrational anxiety already had you shooting the idea down. What if they did not believe you? Or your magick was something beyond control?

What if you were drawing it from something _dark_? Darker than the shadows that seemed to track your every move?

It was a question that had plagued you ever since you were a child. Humans seemed to have a fear of the dark instilled in them from birth. It was primal and sprang from a fear of the unknown. And here you were able to manipulate that fear. All magick drew from the energies that coursed through the earth. It seemed impossible that this type of ability came from anything remotely good. You feared that your professors would reach the same conclusion and refuse to teach you. Your magick would have you removed from the school before you could even hope to gain some semblance of control and there was no way you could avoid it.

As if following your train of thought your phone alarm went off for the third time that morning, signaling you had to get your ass out bed if you wanted any chance of looking halfway decent for your first classes. Swallowing back your reservations, you fell into your morning routine as smoothly as possible considering the circumstances. You gathered your shower supplies and made your way to the bathroom, careful to avoid any mirrors so you would not have to acknowledge your unsightly bedhead. After showering you worked to tame your appearance to something more presentable, pausing every now and then to take a bite of cereal you had snagged from the kitchen. 

According to your schedule you had Defensive Magic first, and there was a note in the course description to come dressed in your athletic uniform. You chewed one your lower lip as your eyes fell on your open suitcase that contained your clothes. There were some casual pieces scattered on top, but folded neatly beneath it all was your Ebott Academy uniform. The damn thing had to be specialty ordered and was not cheap, much to your parents’ distress. Apparently some bigshot monster celebrity had designed them. The uniform consisted of a choice of gray dress pants or pleated skirt, a white button down shirt, and matching suit jacket. On its breast the school’s emblem was emblazoned in delicate embroidery. The symbol consisted of a red heart entangled in golden vines that ended in a large golden flower just above. In flowing script “Ebott Academy of Magick” was sewn just beneath. The design was relatively tasteful, if not a little flashy with the gold accents. But you had certainly seen worse uniforms in your time.

After donning your uniform for the first time you set aside a small drawstring bag for your athletic gear. Gray shorts and a white shirt, both likewise decorated with the emblem. You stuffed them into your bad along with a pair of gym sneakers and socks before tossing it over your shoulder. One last look in the mirror told you that you were presentable. But just before leaving you dug through your jewelry box until you found a leather choker adorned with a tumbled obsidian pendant. The black crystal felt cool to the touch and was as black as the darkness that consumed your dreams. But a strange sense of calm overwhelmed you at its touch. The necklace had been a gift from your mother, blessed by a reiki master, and made specifically for protection and dispelling negative energies.

You were hardly vocal about your magick concerns to your parents, but you knew your mom could sense your worries. Whether it was her mage intuition or just a mother’s you were unsure.

After clasping the choker to your neck you set your features in a determined smile and marched out of your room. Unfortunately you did not see Lucas on your way out, but you did not allow your steps to falter as you made your way to your first class alone. You were here to overcome your fears and master your magick. The phrase was repeated in your mind over and over like a mantra as walked out of the dorm and through the academy halls, already bustling with other students. Your gaze remained steady in front of you, not allowing it to waver lest your nerves falter as well.

* * *

The training grounds were an outdoor facility towards the right side of campus. It had been a challenge in and of itself just to find the closest door out, but with some studying of the map in your student handbook you were able to manage. The space was surrounded by a gate, like an outdoor basketball or tennis court and the entrance appeared to be through an attached locker area. You quickly got changed with the other few stranglers, both mage and monster alike, before tucking your bag away in a locker. There was a slightly nauseating flip in the pit of your stomach as you prepared to face your first class. Already you knew you would be required to use your magick, but hopefully there would be some mercy for the first class.

“DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, PUNK!”

All hopes were dashed as a harsh voice wrenched through the air just as you stepped out into the grassy court. Several first year students were huddled together, simply watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. A mage stood singled out before quite possibly the most intimidating monster you had ever seen. She had to be over six feet tall, lean muscle, and blue scales shimmering in the early morning sun. Dagger-like teeth were set in a wicked grin as she glared down at the student with a single yellow eye, the other hidden by an eyepatch. The poor soul practically whimpered before dropping to the grass in his school uniform without a hint of opposition. You now knew _never_ to forget your athletic uniform for this class. But at the sound of approaching footsteps her sights were set on you and the other last minute arrivals. Her crimson hair whipped about behind her as she seemed to analyze every weakness you had in a matter of moments with a trained eye. 

She was terrifying and she was your instructor, Professor Undyne. This was who M.K. looked up to and suddenly the punch to the face made much more sense.

“WELL? WHAT ARE YOU NERDS WAITING FOR?! GET YOUR AS-…BUTTS OVER HERE!”

That was all it took to get everyone hustling and in line before the fish monster. You noticed someone slip in beside you from your peripherals and glanced up to see Lucas smiling down at you. Instantly you felt some relief; at least you would not be alone in this hellish class. Meanwhile, Undyne made her way down the line of students, giving everyone a stern onceover as if to assess their abilities. 

“ALRIGHT PUNKS! My name is Professor Undyne and you’re all gonna address me as such, ya hear?” You were thankful her volume became a bit more reasonable as she passed, “In the Underground I was Captain of the Royal Guard, but up here I’m your Defensive Magick instructor.”

Though you kept your eyes forward, you sensed Lucas bend down slightly to reach your ear, his voice hush.

“I heard she was known as “Undyne, the Undying” down there because of her strength. Hardly anyone could land a hit on her, much less hope to kill her. Hell of a reputat-”

“YOU THERE!” Instantly Lucas stiffened like a soldier, hands pinned to his side in a way that was a little too dramatic. With a quick peek to his face you saw a smile threatening his lips, which he attempted to reign in as Undyne rounded on him.

“Thanks for volunteering, dork, you’re gonna help me with my first lesson.”

A webbed hand gave a hard slap of what you guessed to be encouragement on his back. You could have sworn you heard some joints crack in the process as Luke stumbled forward. As he worked to regain his balance and make his way to stand before the class, Undyne busied herself by rummaging through a tall metal bin containing bamboo poles. 

“Think FAST!” She practically cackled as she tossed it at Lucas with enough force to send him stumbling back. But he managed to stop the mock weapon from smacking him in the face and you found yourself releasing a breath you did not realize you had been holding. The entire class seemed tense as Undyne merely stared your friend down, but despite her intimidating aura he firmly held her gaze. You could see her toothy grin widen.

“Alright, come at me, punk.” 

For a moment Luke merely stood there, letting her only too calm words sink in. You could see his grip tighten around the pole, his breathing pick up as his eyes narrowed.

Then, he made his move.

The collision was so fast it was almost difficult to see exactly what happened. Splinters of bamboo went everywhere and a number of students gasped and ducked to avoid the debris. When the dust cleared the class fell silent. Lucas stood frozen, his pole still poised at Undyne, though half of it was shattered beyond recognition. All the while Undyne remained in a lunge, a single arm fixed before her from which a hexagon shield of blue light guarded her, electrical bolts sparking and scorching the ground. Lucas stumbled back slightly, surprised at the speed at which the monster was capable of summoning a shield to protect herself, not to mention the sheer strength. She was not known to be “the Undying” for nothing.

“Today, you dweebs are learning about shields. It’s the most basic form of defensive magick and can be applied to any preferred method of energy manipulation, whether psychic or elemental-based.”

Undyne gestured to her shield before letting the energy dissipate. The entire class appeared stunned into silence, to which she merely shrugged before grabbing yet another bamboo pole and turning back to Lucas. 

“Alright, kid, now it’s your turn to be on guard. Show me what you got.” With a wicked grin Undyne prepared her stance to strike, Luke stiffened. “Don’t piss yourself, I’ll go easy on ya.”

And without so much as a battle cry she swung the pole at him. Lucas barely managed to dodge as the pole collided with the ground, sending dirt and grass everywhere as the end was buried into the earth. Apparently Undyne’s idea of “going easy” still meant being able to crack a person’s head open like a piñata. 

“I SAID ON GUARD, YOU DORK, NOT DODGE! NOW GUARD!” 

With a growl she aimed another blow directly to his head. Several students gasped, some looking away to avoid seeing the carnage. You nails bit into your palms, teeth sinking into your lower lip as you feared for his life. This woman was clearly borderline insane when it came to battle, built more for offense than defense.

Once more the dust began to clear, but rather than a field bathed in blood there was a dull hum and a silvery light. There stood Lucas, crouched under the weight of her blow, but still standing. His arms remained crossed before his head, a shield of pure light in the shape of a four pointed star protecting him. It was clearly not as powerful as their instructor’s, the bamboo pole sending a few cracks through the shield rather than shattering like in their previous fight. But Undyne seemed at least mildly impressed at the panting student that crouched before her.

“Not bad, nerd, not bad.”

Relief flooded you, nearly washing all the strength from your body with it. You could have sworn this was going to the end for Luke, but you should have known better considering he had told you shields were his specialty. You grinned as Undyne took a step back and Luke straightened, giving you a wink as you and several other students cheered him on.

“Not bad…” Undyne repeated with a sigh, “But…NOT GOOD ENOUGH!”

Once more without warning she took a strike at him, this time towards his side. Thinking the example lesson had concluded, Luke was unprepared and took the full brunt of the attack. He was knocked to the ground as though he were nothing more than a dry twig, crumpling to his knees with a sickening grunt. Undyne stepped over him, pole driving into the ground before her as she leaned her weight into it.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent, got it?” Her visible yellow eye glared down at him, features severe once more. However, rather than leave him in the dirt to suffer she offered a webbed hand. There was a moment’s hesitation that no one seemed to notice aside from you where Lucas merely stared at her hand, face still twisted in pain and irritation. But like a ghost it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, replaced by his usual laid back grin as he took her hand.

“Alright, we’re gonna pair up now, grab a pole, and get to work, dorks.” 

Lucas shuffled back over to you, hand rubbing at the back of his neck while the other massaged his bruised ribs.

“You okay there…?” You offered a reassuring smile. He was still walking and breathing, so that was a good sign. Nothing else looked injured aside from the obvious and maybe his pride. The brunette merely shrugged,

“Coulda been worse, I guess.”

“Well, if you ask me, it was pretty impressive. You stood your ground to the former Captain of the Royal Guard. Even if she was going easy on you, that’s got to count for something.”

It was not much, but your encouraging words seemed to lighten his mood, his smile a little less forced.

“Less TALKING, more FIGHTING!” There was a relatively light thump to your head as Undyne smacked it with a bamboo pole before passing it off to you. As you rubbed the sore spot you wondered just how small of a fraction that had been of her true strength. It still stung and you would probably have a lump there for a couple hours.

“Uh…do you wanna go first?” There was hesitation in your voice, your words quiet. It was selfish to ask him to go again after just facing Undyne, but perhaps you could stretch his training out until the end of class. Anything, _anything_ , to avoid having to conjure a shield yourself. Thankfully, Lucas did not seem to mind, though there was a knowing smile on his lips. Stepping back a few paces he readied his stance, summoning two smaller star shields on either arm.

“Come on, doll, take a few swings!” 

You would not go so far as to say it felt good to strike at one of the few people you considered to be a friend on the campus. But there was something oddly therapeutic about it and you could feel your body loosen up as the tension was released in your strikes. Lucas blocked each blow swiftly, hardly breaking a sweat. He winced on occasion when a blow forced him to strain his already injured side, but aside from that he did not complain. You were both lost in your training, hardly paying any mind to the yellow eye that studied you closely. Undyne weaved through other pairs, correcting forms and giving tips. 

When Lucas asked to take couple minutes to catch his breath you admired the work of your fellow classmates. Everyone appeared to be putting their all into their training, whether out of fear or sheer determination. There was a Shyren who encased herself in a bubble of water, a short fire elemental that summoned a wall of fire (which Undyne carefully skirted around), and a mage that appeared to have placed an invisible barrier up simply with her mind. It was impressive…and you felt beyond inferior. Everyone seemed to have some semblance of control over their magick and meanwhile you were just postponing the inevitable. Your gaze fell to your shoes, shame heating up your cheeks. How could you ever manage to keep up with your classmates if you were afraid of your own powers?

A pair of black leather combat boots fell into your line of sight. The entire class went as silent as the grave in an instant. You followed the boots up a lean figure, blue scales, until you met a single yellow eyes staring you down without a word. You swallowed hard.

“Haven’t seen you on guard yet, dork.” With ease she wrenched the bamboo pole from your fingers and tossed it to Lucas, not even glancing his way. “ _Go_.”

This was it. This was the end.

Trembling slightly you turned to Lucas, eyes wide with fear not of his strike, but of what you were now required to do. All eyes were on you and Undyne was practically breathing down your neck, waiting. Lucas saw your anxiety, hell he could practically see it rolling off you. If he had it his was he would have tossed the pole aside; clearly you were not ready for this. But as Undyne’s gaze flickered to him he knew he had no choice.

He charged and swung. You dodged. He swung again, only to be met with air once more. With each missed blow you knew Undyne’s irritation was only growing. You wanted to cry, but you knew it would be of no use, likely only made matters worse. You were not ready to call upon that undeniable darkness inside you.

Another strike met only dirt.

“ENOUGH!” The fish monster roared, her voice echoing across the grounds. In a flash she had summoned what appeared to be a spear made of solid blue lightening. With a single swift stroke she brought the blunt side to the back of your legs, knocking them out from under you and sending you toppling to the ground. You skull slammed hard against the dirt and not even the grass was enough to cushion the blow as stars danced in your vision. Sputtering gasps were all you managed to say in reply as the wind was knocked clear out of you. All you could do was lay there in a heap as Undyne took slow, calculated steps towards you. She did not say a word, hardly seemed to breathe as she crouched down to where you lay, meeting your gaze. You found it impossible to look away, her single snake-like eye searing right into your soul. All was hush across the field.

“… _You’re afraid_.” It was not a question, but a statement. Her voice was disarmingly quiet, face void of emotion even with her rather expressive set of fangs. A few whispers seemed to travel among the students at her words, and you could feel your face burn with embarrassment right up to your ears. You wished the ground would swallow you whole.

“Fear will get you _killed_.” How did one even respond to that? All you could do was shiver under her gaze as her words called out your biggest flaw. You were fucking terrified. Terrified of your magick, where it came from, and what wielding it said about you. You were so scared you could not even bring yourself you use it. Hell, you ran from the darkness like your life depended on it whenever possible.

And Undyne knew it.

She did not break her gaze from where it was locked on you as she stood once more. Her figure towered over you, shadow seeming to devour you.

“You _will_ conjure a shield next class and it will be to protect you from _my_ blow.”

Professor Undyne’s words were final and your body went numb. That meant next week you would either be expelled from the school for refusing to use magick or simply killed by your own instructor. Neither sounded appealing and both sent waves of fear through your very soul. Your throat felt dry, your body as weak and flimsy as tissue paper. Still, Undyne refused to tear her gaze from you, even as your head sunk in shame.

“Class dismissed.” She ordered in that same eerily calm voice that you could already tell was out of the norm for the fish monster. Turning on her heel, Undyne marched back over to the bucket of poles, dragging the equipment back to the closet where it was stored. With her absence the class seemed to be revived and began to scatter. Most made a point to avoid where you laid be several feet while some sent a few pitying glances your way. You wanted to simultaneously cry and throw up at the same time. 

The only one who did not leave you was Lucas, and it took you a moment to even acknowledge the hand he held out to you. You knew that if you met his eyes he would give you the same sympathetic smile the others had and that would push you to tears. So your eyes remained trained on the dirt, even as he pulled you to your feet. Together you made your way back to the locker room to change.

* * *

Even though Luke insisted at least a half a dozen times that he would walk with you to your next class, you convinced him to go alone. You needed space as your mind felt as though it was about to collapse in on itself. Besides, your schedules did not line up perfectly and thus while he had Alchemy you had History of Magick, which were on opposing sides of campus. Thankfully your classroom was not too far from the entrance to the training grounds, so you allotted yourself some time to slowly get changed. You did not exactly have the energy, neither physically nor emotionally, to drive you to get changed at reasonable pace. Everything seemed to drag on, as if your existence was suddenly burdened with dead weight. You felt ill, but you knew skipping class on the first day was not the most sensible thing to do. So instead you shuffled off to your next class at a pace that would make Headmaster Gerson appear to be powerwalking. 

Few students paid you any mind as you passed them in the hall, eyes downcast. You were nothing more than air to them or perhaps they simply did not wish to acknowledge your inner turmoil. It was fine by you, preferring to keep to your personal hell. It was only the first day and you already felt like utter shit. You still had several hours’ worth of classes ahead of you to top it all off.

Feet dragging, you finally arrived at your next class. You barely glanced up, but it was obvious that you were the last to arrive, aside from the instructor. There was only one seat available in the back of the class between a Moldsmal and…a lump of blue fabric piled up on a desk and its chair by the window? At least that was what it appeared to be. You had no other options, not that it really mattered, so you made your way to the back of the room, avoiding stares as you went. Hooking your bag to the back of your chair you pulled out a notebook and pen, only to pause when you distinctly heard light snores coming from your left. The lump of blue was clearly a student tucked underneath a sweatshirt of sorts. But with the hood pulled up they completely hid themselves from view. What was clear was that they were already asleep. The damn class had not even started yet, it was only late morning, and this student was already lights out. 

You were almost envious.

You did your best to pay the student no mind, instead turning to your other seatmate to give them a weak, but friendly smile nonetheless. The Moldsmal undulated slightly in reply and you assumed that was their greeting. While you all waited for the professor to arrive you began shuffling through your notebook, attempting to prep some dividers for separate chapters. Unfortunately, in your haphazard attempt to pass the time and distract yourself from your jumbled thoughts you knocked your pen right off your desk. The instrument fell to the ground with a soft clatter and you could not fight back the irritated sigh from being hissed through your teeth. Your temper was reaching a point where even the smallest things were beginning to wear on your last nerve. Today was simply not your day, which did not bode well for the remainder of your time at Ebott Academy. 

With a flurry of quiet curses under your breath you leaned down in your seat to swipe up your lost pen, only to be met halfway with it held out before you. You paused, eyes moving from the tool to the hand holding it. But it was not exactly a hand, at least not that of human. Or at least not a _living_ human. Ivory bones were wrapped loosely around your pen, their grip easing as you finally took back your belonging. You gaze flickered up to the owner of said phalanges to find two gaping black eye sockets lit with two small pinpricks of light. Apparently your other seatmate was now awake, stirred from his slumber by your ruckus, and apparently he was a skeleton.

“Seems ya have a _pen_ chant for lettin’ things slip through your fingers.” There was something familiar about his voice, a deep baritone that passed through his unmoving jaws set in a perpetual grin, “I get ya. After all, everything just goes _right through me_ too.”

Your lips quivered slightly, threatening a smile despite your awful mood as you caught his puns as well as his gaze. It was difficult not to stare, though you really did not want to come across as rude. Just because your day was going terribly did not mean you had to make anyone else’s uncomfortable as well. But in the three years since monsters had made it to the surface once more, not once had you seen a skeleton monster. It was as unnerving as it was fascinating, like getting a peek at what would probably look like in a hundred years or so, six feet underground. However, the monster seemed to shudder slightly under your scrutiny and you quickly let your eyes fall back to your notebook. But once more your vision was invaded by that unusual hand, drawing your attention back to him,

“Sans. Sans the skeleton. I’d say nice to _meat_ ya," He gave a lazy shrug, one eye socket somehow closing in a wink, "but I’ve got no skin on my bones.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Undyne gives me Nordic viking vibes. I regret nothing~!
> 
> In all honesty, though, I wanted to touch upon more of her serious side. Sure, Undertale is a light-hearted game and we really only get a look at that in the battles with Frisk before we really KNOW her. But I wanted to draw out that warrior a bit in her teaching style. Really channeled some inspiration for her from Antiope (from DC's Wonder Woman) in her more serious attitude.
> 
> But, fear not, you will see her more tender side at some point in the future. Maybe. I've got some ideas.
> 
> And, oh, look at that. It's a snas.


	5. Skeletal Studies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the reader befriends some bones and more studying ensues, this time with less physical torture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SUCK AT TITLES. I will be the first to admit it, it's awful. But trust that the actual story is better than my lack of imagination.  
> ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻
> 
> Anyway, this is a bit of a shorter chapter that gives a nice base for the reader's relationship with Sans. It's not really filler per say since it's important character building, but it's definitely a step back from the action. I mean, reader got her ass handed to her already, she needs a break and some awful puns. Originally this chapter was going to cover two more classes, but I felt like it would have ended at an awkward moment during the day and just disrupt the flow of the story. So while this chapter is indeed shorter, it fits better as a chapter at this length.
> 
> Ya know what's hella rad though? I've got up until chapter 13 roughly planned out at this point and I'm pretty proud.

For a moment you merely stared at the porcelain fingers held out before you, surprised he was making such an effort to get your attention. You figured you looked more like death than he did at this point, considering your mood. Hardly anyone made more than a passing glance your way since the events of that morning. Yet here this skeleton was, determined to grab your attention and perhaps a smile with all the puns he was dropping. Well, the least you could do was humor him.

“(Y/n).” The ghost of a smile tugged at your lips, “And don’t worry, it’s no skin off my back…and yours either, I guess.”

You hoped you were not overstepping your place by making a joke in return about his appearance. Was it considered rude to crack a joke at a monster’s expense? Racist? You were not exactly familiar with monster etiquette as your hometown was far enough from Mount Ebott that monsters remained fairly uncommon. But Sans did not appear offended, in fact his grin seemed to grow wider, stretching his oddly malleable features. Reaching for his hand, you wrapped your fingers around the surprisingly warm bones.

“Alright, class, I’m Professor O’Connell, and-"

“ _PFFFFFFFFFFffffffttttt…~!_ ”

Time seemed to freeze as a flatulent squeal ripped through the classroom. Everyone was stunned silent, turning to stare directly in the corner of the room where you sat. You went rigid, hand still gripping Sans with wide eyes. His smile never faltered, only seeming to grow wider as your cheeks began to burn with embarrassment. A few soft giggles and hushed laughs began to float about the students. As the reality of your situation slowly settled in you began to tremble with smothered laughter as well. Who knew the most immature of jokes could alleviate your foul temper?

But what could you say? Fart jokes would always be funny. It was childish, you knew that, but you could not ignore such flawless comedic timing. This guy really knew how to lighten the mood. His eyelights seemed to sparkle at your mirth.

“…Comic Sans-Serif Aster.”

You bit down hard on your tongue to stifle your snort, not sure if you were still laughing from the whoopee cushion Sans now revealed to have up his sleeve or at the sound of his full name.

“Ooo, someone’s in trooouuuble~!” You were sure to draw out your teasing words, voice hush as you released his hand and faced forward. But the skeleton only shrugged, leaning his chair back on two legs as he met the professor’s critical stare. You had to give him credit for remaining so incredibly composed; hardly raising a brow bone at the professor’s chastising tone.

“I see it is going to be another year of your juvenile sense of humor.”

“Well, prof, I _gas_ you could say I don’t have the _fart_ to let it go. Sorry if m' jokes fall a little _flat_ ulent for you.”

Like most of the class, all you could do was gape at the skeleton monster, lips parted in a mix of horror and awe. The fart puns just rolled off his nonexistent tongue like he was discussing the weather and you had to admit his quick wit was impressive. Unfortunately, one look at the professor and you knew he was not having it. The mage’s face was practically twitching with irritation, skin reddened as rage bubbled just below the surface. Apparently he was no stranger to Sans’ sense of humor and certainly not a fan. Your gaze bounced between the two as a silent staring contest ensued, waiting to see which would break eye contact first and thus lose the argument. Naturally, a staring contest with a literal skeleton was not the best idea and a minute had not even passed before Professor O’Connell gave an exasperated sigh, running a hand down his face as he looked away. Sans’ smile stretched impossibly far in victory and he gave you a quick wink at which point you had to raise a hand to your mouth to silence your giggles.

“I am not even going to dignify your attempt at wit with a response.” As the mage rubbed his temples he brought his eyes back to the rest of the class. “As I was saying before the interruption, I am Professor O’Connell, and I’d like to welcome you to Ebott Academy’s History of Magick course.”

The instructor had not even finished his introduction before you once more heard soft snores to your left. Sans was back to hiding under the blue sweatshirt he wore instead of the uniform blazer. His nap did not go unnoticed by Professor O’Connell, but he could only bring himself to roll his eyes, knowing the skeleton was a lost cause.

“No doubt all of you are aware that magick, though made more apparent to the general public as a legitimate craft with The Emergence, has been around for countless centuries before now.”

With swift motions, Professor O’Connell crossed in front of his desk to face the class, taking the time to settle himself on top of it instead. Leaning back on his hands, he fixed his students with a cool sweep of his gaze. Though he looked roughly middle aged, his blue eyes held wisdom beyond his years and you already found yourself giving him your undivided attention. You had disappointed one professor today and had no desire to add another to the list.

“A number of ancient civilizations practiced magick on a daily basis.” His voice was rich as it washed over the class, hints of an Irish accent apparent in his tone, “Can any of you name some for me?”

There were a few murmurs of Egyptians, Greeks, and even the Mayans from some students. Even a fish-like monster spoke of the Atlantians. O’Connell seemed relatively pleased with the response, even if there was some hesitation behind most answers and utter silence from the majority of the class.

“Correct, and those are only a few. For many cultures magick was a significant part of religious rituals and belief systems.” Folding his arms over his chest, he continued, “However over time these practices had fallen out of active use. Whether due to war or changes in leadership, magick was later regarded as a myth or blasphemy and became something practiced by only a few, scattered across and beneath the earth.”

Turning behind himself, Professor O’Connell sifted through some papers and binders before producing a manila folder. He gingerly opened the file, flipping through its contents before pulling out a laminated piece of yellowing parchment. The delicate ink script, if not a bit faded, indicated it was a page torn from some sort of book. Around the paragraphs was a border rich in detail, depicting vines and swirling knot work. It looked similar to an enlightened manuscript you recalled seeing in an old world history text book from your earlier education, except this was clearly the original copy. You were baffled as to how he managed to get his hands on a piece of history.

“In order to avoid bias and altered evidence, we will be working exclusively with ancient texts and scripture.” That explained the lack of a textbook, though you doubted there were many on the history of magick to begin with, “I will be making copies, so I suggest you have a binder prepared to store them. Translations will be made in class. Miss a class and the handouts will be as good as gibberish to you all.”

You spared a glance at Sans beside you, still snoring away without a care in the world. Did this count as ‘missing class’ for him or was there really something to studying through osmosis? Maybe he secretly was absorbing all the information as he snoozed. Considering how much of a challenge this course was already sounding you hoped you could keep up even if you stayed conscious the whole time.

Professor O’Connell spent the next half an hour giving a brief overview of magick across cultures, dictating roughly where you would begin in history and how you would be covering both mage and monster civilizations. You did your best to take notes, ensuring they were thorough just in case Sans woke up later, completely oblivious to what they were studying for the next year. You spared him a few curious glances as the instructor spoke, but he continued to drift in dreamland, a lump of blue fabric and white fluffy trim slowly rising and falling with each breath. It was difficult to not let your thoughts wander to why exactly a skeleton needed to breathe as you focused on the lesson.

“Alright, I want you all to pair up with someone near you. I am going to hand out a few ancient texts, just a couple paragraphs. Today you will be given written translations, but do not expect it in the future. Together I want you to analyze the information and make some correlations between modern magick and ancient magick. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask and I will assist.”

You had barely dropped your gaze from the professor when you heard a rather harsh screech of something heavy being dragged over stone and a gentle thud against your desk. Flinching in surprise you turned to see Sans had scooted his desk beside your own, already claiming you as his partner without so much as asking. He was also still snoring. Had he actually done it in his sleep? You could not tell if you were more annoyed or impressed. Assumptions aside, you figured he was as good as any other classmate to work with. But there was no way in hell that you were going to complete this assignment on your own while he slept. Lifting a hand you only paused briefly before you rested it on his shoulder, intent on waking him. His body felt more than a little foreign beneath your fingers. Sure you had touched people of slender build and prominent bone structure before, but he truly was nothing more than a skeleton. You could feel the sturdy bone of his clavicle that gave way to the joint of his arm underneath the soft fabric. 

“Um…Sans?” Even at your touch he did not appear to wake, so you gave him a gentle shake, “Sans, you’re awake…right?”

Just as you were about to resign yourself to your lonesome fate with this project, the skeleton monster began to stir. He shifted slightly in his seat, head swiveling from where it was buried in his arms across his desk to reveal a single eye socket. You were fascinated as his previously small and bright eyelight was now large and dull, slightly fuzzy around the edges. It was like the equivalent of drowsy and dazed eyes a human might have upon waking. Blinking a few times, the small light settled back to its usual pinprick and you found yourself quickly releasing your hold on him as he sat up. Sans gave a lazy stretch and you watched in shock as his immovable grin finally cracked open to let a yawn escape, a few pale blue tears threatening the corners of his eye sockets. You found you could not tear your gaze away, manners be damned, as you eyed a pair of sharp fangs within his bony jaws. Despite being a skeleton he shared a number of differences from that of human. Now relatively awake, Sans snapped his mouth shut once more, eyeing your dumbfounded expression with a bemused arch of his brow bone.

_Stop staring. Stop staring!_

You practically tore your eyes from him as Professor O’Connell passed your desks, dropping a laminated text and printed translation between you with a sour look. Sans merely beamed up at him, as if he was completely innocent and undeserving of the instructor’s ire.

“I guess we should get to work.” 

Scooting your chair a little closer you peered over the document presented to you. Judging from the characters and vertical alignment of the script, you hazard a guess it was Japanese in origin. But aside from a few words you picked up from watching anime in your early teens you hardly knew the spoken language at all, much less in writing. Still, you could appreciate the beauty in the way the lines flowed, tsumi ink blossoming across the rice paper. You made to reach for the translation tucked beneath the scroll segment,

“’s about Kotodama.”

How Sans already knew what the text was about after giving it barely more than a glance was beyond you. But at your speechlessness all he did was lean back in his chair once more, eye sockets already drifting shut again.

“How-?”

“This isn’t my first time in this class, kiddo. Guess you could say I’m a bit of _bonehead_.”

Somehow you doubted that as he could apparently read ancient Kanji, which you would bet contained numerous outdated characters rarely used in contemporary culture. Snatching up the translation, you skimmed the contents and sure enough the text was about Kotodama, also known as the “soul of language”. 

“Well…I’m impressed.” And you genuinely were. Even if he tried to brush off his intelligence as merely repeating back old information, it was still remarkable he was capable of recognizing a text in a single glance.

“Hello, impressed-”

“Don’t you-!”

“I’m Sans.” A childish pout claimed your lips as the comedian cracked quite possibly the worst ‘dad joke’ known to man. The skeleton folded his arms behind his head, one eye cracking open to grin down at you.

“ _Anyway_ …” you continued, eyes returning back to the translation, “From what this is saying, Kotodama is like some sort of ancient word binding used by the gods to form covenants or promises.”

“Word binding? Talk about _tongue tying_.”

“That was terrible and you know it.” Sans chuckled at your mock irritation even as a smile threatened to break your façade. “So this Kotodama, it’s kind of like a mantra? Sacred words? Maybe even incantations in other practices?”

With a grunt the skeleton leaned back down, huddling close beside you to look over the paper as well. His bony shoulder brushed against yours, but you hardly even flinched at the unexpected contact.

“Sorta? But it’s more than just a spell. These are literal words of power, permanently binding two people together. It’s definitely not something to be taken lightly. I guess you could make a parallel between Kotodama and...coven initiation.”

You were taken aback by his sudden serious tone, not expecting the monster to be capable of much more than puns and sleeping. His voice was still relaxed, but his brow bones were drawn together in thought. But even with your limited knowledge of magick passed on through your family you knew the importance of what he was referencing.

“O-oh….” Covens were not something to be taken lightly. They were a bond between magick wielders often made in both words and blood. It intertwined magick in such a way that breaking the union was nearly impossible. You had heard that it was just above the bond of a familiar in its strength, and only one step shy of a soul bond. There was also historical evidence that in the past, if one were to somehow manage to betray that oath, the sheer tearing of their magick as it was broken would be enough to kill them. No, covens were deadly serious and the comparison certainly put the severity of the Kotodama into perspective as well.

As Sans went into more detail with the similarities between the two you took notes, sharing your own thoughts as well until you had a fully fleshed response between the two of you. You even managed to finish well before the rest of the class, so you passed the time exchanging a few terrible jokes and comparing class schedules. Apparently you would be seeing quite a bit of that grin in the coming year. With the exception of Defensive Magick and a free period where he had an elective, Advanced Arcane Technology class, you had matching schedules. The news brought a grin to your face, which he raised you with his own toothy smile. There was something about the skeleton that set your soul at ease. Even after the morning’s frustrations, spending time with Sans had managed to push the memories to the back of your mind. You were smiling again, laughing even at his ridiculous puns, and the sting of your failure was beginning to ebb away. There was some truth to laughter being the best medicine.

Once the rest of the class caught up and finished their assignments, Professor O’Connell called ‘at random’ for pairs to share, though he made a point to call on the two of you. He seemed reluctant to compliment you both, still annoyed with Sans’ behavior, but he could not deny you both did a thorough job in eloquently conveying your comparison. After a few more brief presentations and the manuscripts were collected the class was dismissed. You busied yourself with packing your school supplies away to leave for your next class. You once more had to shake Sans awake, who picked up where his nap left off almost instantly after your presentation was finished. How anyone could fall asleep so fast you did not know.

“So, Herbology, right?” You tried not to stare this time as Sans gave another yawn. The skeleton stood and adjusted his rumpled sweatshirt before slinging his own bag over his shoulder and shoving his hands in his pockets. You were surprised to see just how short he was, falling a few inches beneath you.

“Yeah, should be a _fauna_ class.” You did not miss the pun, giving him a wry smile as you tugged your own bag onto your back.

“Oh? Another one you’re repeating?” Your tone was teasing, though you hoped poking fun at him for being held back would not hit a nerve. His light chuckle told you it was fine with him.

“Nah, let’s just say I’m friends with the prof, unlike stone-face over there.” Sans jabbed a thumb at Professor O’Connell who was organizing his belongings for his next class. The skeleton then gave a dramatic, rigid expression, grin falling into an almost perfectly straight line as he marched out of the classroom with rigid limbs. You trailed along behind him, snickering all the way.

* * *

Like Defensive Magick, Herbology was also outside, but on the opposing side of campus. You were thankful for this; not exactly keen to run into Professor Undyne again so soon. As you and your new bony friend made your way to the greenhouse you chatted about the academy and surrounding town, Ebott Ctiy.

“Yeah, ya gotta check out Muffet’s bakery sometime. Let’s just say her desserts will have ya crawlin’ back to her web.” 

“’Course, she sounds amazing. And I guess all those extra limbs make running a café a bit easier.” For a spider monster she must be her own spare hands, “We should go together sometime, maybe this weekend?”

Sans seemed to falter slightly at your offer, though you failed to notice as a slight tinge of blue crept across his cheekbones.

“I’ll invite Luke and M.K., too, if you don’t mind, that is.” The monster appeared to deflate slightly, but his grin never fell.

“’s fine. Everyone needs to try Muffet’s at least once. She’s almost on par with Grillby.” At the thought of the dining hall food the fire elemental produced you were already salivating. Clearly you needed to go to this bakery if it was anything like the food on campus. “I’ll invite my bro along too.”

“Really? I can’t wait to meet him!” Sans gave a knowing chuckle as your shoes hit the grassy lawn, the greenhouse just in the distance.

“Oh, that reminds me, you’re a first year, right?” You gave him a curious look. He had been in your first year History of Magick class, but you could not be sure he was only held back in the single class. Not to mention you had yet to see him around the dorm. There were not exactly many of you in the class, so you figured you had seen all your classmates by now, at least in passing. Sans did not exactly have a face easily forgotten.

“Technically, yeah, but I spend more time with my bro than everyone else,” As if reading your mind he gave a slight shrug, “’Bit of a loner, myself.

“ _Flowerever_ ” With a stretch of his grin, Sans held the door to the greenhouse open to you, “I don’t think you’re a _thorn_ in my side.”

The punny compliment left you both flattered and bemused as you stepped into the humid glass structure, Sans hot on your heels. For a moment you simply took in you surroundings. An impossible number of plants seemed to entrap you, creeping up the walls and covering a majority of the floor to leave only a small walking path. Varying shades of green accompanied by other vibrant colored blossoms filled your vision and olfactory senses with dizzying aromas. It was almost overwhelming and a moment had passed before you noticed the bony hand gripping your elbow to steady you. You gave Sans an appreciative smile as he released you once you came back to your senses.

  


“Try not to let the scenery get the _beet_ er of ya, kid.”

“Okay, that vegetable pun was a stretch.”

“YES IT WAS AND IT WAS TERRIBLE, BROTHER. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED I THOUGHT I RAISED YOU BETTER.”

It took every ounce of self-control not to firmly _plant_ (oh, gods, he was already rubbing off on you) your hands over your ears. Quite possibly the loudest speaking voice you had ever heard rang through the greenhouse and you looked at Sans with alarm. This was his brother? From behind an exotic looking fern yet another skeleton head appeared, though this one far more chiseled and longer than his sibling’s. Despite expecting Sans’ brother to be a skeleton as well, you stared in surprise nonetheless. But unlike his brother, this new monster towered over you as he brushed through various plants and branches with care. All you could do was let your jaw drop, gaze bouncing between the two of them, hand slightly raised to point at the newcomer in silent questioning.

“Yup. That’s my brother, Papyrus.”

“OH! IS THIS THE HUMAN, SANS?”

 _The_ human? Your mouth snapped shut and you frowned slightly. Papyrus already seemed familiar with you, which was more than a little odd since you had only just met Sans today. You quickly set a curious stare on the shorter skeleton, who stiffened and you swore you saw small beads of pale blue sweat forming on his skull. Odd, but you attributed the reaction to magick.

“Yup. This is one of the humans that totally arrived late for the banquet, remember?” Sans shrugged, though his eyelights were fixed on bits of surrounding foliage, “Bit of a mi _steak_ on their part, huh?”

At the mention of your error from the previous night, embarrassment crept into your cheeks once more, lips set in a pout as you narrowed your eyes at the accusing skeleton. But at Papyrus’ “NYEH” of annoyance you could tell his irritation at his brother’s humor outweighed your own. The taller skeleton smoothed his red gloved hands down his apron which read “I dig gardening” with a smiling flower. Briefly you wondered if it was a gift from Sans, judging from the pun.

“U-uh, anyway, it’s nice to meet you, Papyrus.” You offered him a hand in greeting, which he graciously took and proceeded to nearly tear your arm from its socket with his feverous shaking, “Are you in this class as well?”

“YOU COULD SAY THAT, HUMAN,” Papyrus seemed to stand a little straighter, making his stature even more noticeable, “I AM THE INSTRUCTOR, AFTER ALL.”

You blinked rapidly as the words slowly registered. This boisterous sweetheart was your professor for Herbology? Rounding on Sans, the skeleton took in your shocked expression with amusement.

“Your…Your older brother is the _professor_?!”

A grating round of “nyehs” you took to be Papyrus’ laughter rang through your ears and you noticed that the lights in Sans’ eyes went completely out. The sight was disturbing and a chill toyed down your spine. Had you said something wrong? Papyrus did not seem to mind, but Sans…

“Uh, kid, I’m the eldest. Paps is my lil’ bro.”

Though his smile remained even you could tell it was strained and those wide sockets remained vacant. No wonder Sans was so upset, you just completely botched his age. Immediately you did what you could to remedy the situation, fumbling for words.

“I-I…I’m so sorry, Sans. I didn’t mean…Well you said you were a first year and your brother is so….” You gestured vaguely up the length of his stature. It was true that height did not always coincide with age, but the difference was so dramatic between the two monsters that you just assumed.

But you know what happens when you assume. Or at least you sure as hell do now. 

“…I’m an ass. Sans, I’m really sorry.” Papyrus’ relentless cackling was not helping the situation, but he attempted to compose himself when he heard the remorse in your tone. At your sincere apology the shorter skeleton seemed to lose some of his irritation, eyelights fading back into view.

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo,” He gave a wink, grin relaxing once more and you could practically feel the pun coming “you’re just a little _short_ sighted when it comes to skeleton siblings.”

Both you and Papyrus merely grimaced, utterly disappointed in his attempt at comedy. Papyrus grabbed your arm, muttering something about sparing you from him brother's torturous humor as he dragged you deeper into the miniature forest that was the Herbology classroom. Sans trailed behind, pleased to see you and his brother getting along, even if it was a bit at his expense. Watching the friendship unfold before him reassured him that he made the right choice for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK AT PROF PAPYRUS SO CUTE! I thought it would be a nice contrast between Sans. Despite Pap's more juvenile behavior, I've never considered him ignorant and knowing how much he cares for people, is completely unbiased to humans, and just generally is a leader when it comes to his personality I figured he would make a great instructor. I also love in a lot of post-pacifist fanfics authors have him working in a flower shop. That sort of inspired me to have him teach Herbology. 
> 
> Though I will admit there was a moment I thought to put him in the banquet hall, but I decided to have mercy on everyone's stomachs. He may come crash the kitchens occasionally though, because everybody needs to try his spaghetti (much to Grillby's dismay).
> 
> Anyway, I digress, next chapter prepare for PLANTS and PAPS FLUFF. And, of course, thank you for reading~! ♥


	6. Newfound Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which new friendships begin to form and propositions are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it actually took me a few days to complete this chapter as I am still getting the hang of writing Sans and Papyrus. Between all the puns and Pap's dramatic way of speaking I was struggling a bit. But I think with time I'll get the hang of it. ┐(‘～`；)┌
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all continue to enjoy these ramblings of a story. We're nearing 300 hits which is CRAZY and over 30 kudos. I'm really grateful and all the comments and theories really make me smile. So thank you so much! ♥

Finding your way to the back of the Herbology classroom proved to be more of a challenge than you cared to admit. It was clear that Professor Papyrus preferred to just let nature have its way with the greenhouse, not really bothering to trim back any of the plants unless they were a threat to the well-being of another. Thus the space felt more like a tropical rainforest than an extension of the academy. A number of times the lanky skeleton would pause to hold a particularly thick or thorny branch back so that you could pass safely, which was kind of him. You could already feel his warm personality growing on you, even with his grating voice. Papyrus was by far your favorite professor of the day, if not out of them all, but tomorrow’s classes would determine that.

“HUMAN, YOUR FELLOW CLASSMATES HAVE ALREADY GATHERED TOWARDS THE BACK. DO TAKE A SEAT WITH MY BROTHER AS I PREPARE TO START.”

You muffled a giggle behind your hand as Papyrus only seemed to grow more boisterous as he fell into his role as instructor. Just beyond him two lines of benches were set up in an open space at the heart of the greenhouse where a number of other first years were already seated. There were various gardening tools scattered about the tables, as well as a terracotta pot placed before each student. Most of your classmates were quietly chatting, completely at ease, which was a strong contrast to your first class. In Defensive Magick everyone looked as though they wanted to piss their pants, you included, but Papyrus seemed to have a much more serene approach to his teaching methods. Setting your bag on the ground by your stool you took one of the remaining seats. Sans slid into the one beside you as well, holding out a green apron and pair of gloves to you that you had missed on your way over. After thanking him you both worked on donning your gear, settling in your chairs just as Papyrus came back to stand before the class. He set aside a few materials behind him on the instructor’s table before turning back to begin,

“GOOD AFTERNOON, HUMAN AND MONSTER STUDENTS,” The skeleton practically beamed at you all, which everyone eagerly returned, “I AM THE GREAT PROFESSOR PAPYRUS, HERBOLOGY INSTRUCTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE~!”

There was a soft round of applause as Papyrus unsheathed a spade from his apron and posed theatrically with it as though it were a sword. The scene was certainly striking and you figured not many could pull it off without looking completely ridiculous. But the dramatic gesture suited Papyrus’ confident personality. There were a few students who cringed or rolled their eyes, however one look from Sans and they went rigid. You did not have to look to know he turned those lightless eye sockets on them. It was rather cute to see him being the protective big brother. Whenever Sans turned his gaze back to his brother you could see nothing but love and admiration in his expression, smile reaching from ear to nonexistent ear.

“THIS YEAR I SHALL BEQUEATH TO YOU MY KNOWLEDGE OF ALL PLANTS AND FUNGI FROM THE SURFACE AND THE UNDERGROUND, AS WELL AS THEIR WONDROUS USES.” He gave a sweeping gesture to the greenery that surrounded them. “BY THE END OF THIS YEAR YOU MIGHT JUST REACH A FRACTION OF THE MASTERY I HAVE ACHIEVED.”

Papyrus went on to explain how the greenhouse functioned, the humidity levels and sprinkler systems, as well as the cellar. Plants native to the Underground required a cooler and far shadier climate than those of the surface, and thus were kept in a level just beneath the greenhouse, accessible by a small trap door towards the back. There were even large overhanging racks set above for bundles of herbs to dry, some fading spices having grown long enough to nearly brush the top of Papyrus’ skull. Despite the clutter you found the whole atmosphere of the greenhouse to be soothing even with your excitable instructor. It was naturally occurring organized chaos.

“OUR FIRST TASK TO TACKLE WILL BE THIS YEAR’S PROJECT: ECHO FLOWERS. YOU EACH WILL BE REQUIRED TO GROW YOUR OWN, WHICH WILL THEN BE CUT, DRIED, AND FORMULATED INTO A MAGICK-INFUSED TEA!”

Reaching behind once more, Papyrus produced a pot containing quite possibly one of the most beautiful flowers you had ever seen. Its head was as large as a sunflower and you were curious as to how the stem even managed to support such a large blossom. But what really captured your attention was its color: a striking cyan. Judging from the subtle blue that now painted Papyrus’ exposed forearms the plan also held some bio-luminescent qualities. The Underground might have been unpleasant to be trapped in for ages, but at least it was not entirely devoid of beauty. You and every other mage in the room stared in wonder while most monsters simply giggled at the stunned reactions of their human classmates.

“…it may sound like a challenging task, dear students, but never fear, for I shall teach you all that you need to know to care for these unique plants.”

There were a few gasps from mages as the voice came not from their skeletal instructor, but the plant itself after Papyrus gently brushed his gloved phalanges over a petal. The plant had spoken in his stead. If the odd glow it gave off was not magickal enough, then this little trick left you in awe. There was a soft chuckle to your right as Sans drank in your astonished expression.

“I didn’t know ya were a venus fly trap with your mouth hangin’ open like that, _bud_.” Your jaw snapped shut, having not even realized you let it drop. Sans only snickered quietly, careful not to interrupt his brother, “Ya know, in the Underground we used to tell secrets to the echo flowers. They repeat the last words of whoever last touched their petals.”

“Really…?” You could not place why, but the idea left you feeling unsettled, “It’s like they’re always listening…”

You glanced down to Sans who had his sockets fixated on his brother once more. Curiosity piqued your interest and you wondered exactly what kinds of secrets the monsters entrusted to the echo flowers as you studied your skeleton friend. If you went down to the Underground now, vacant and quiet, would the echo flowers still remain? If you brushed their petals would you hear the past voices of monsters questioning their entrapment and yearning for the surface? A shudder ran through you, the entire visual incredibly eerie.

“You okay, kid? You look like you’re at a _moss_ for words.”

The quick plant pun stirred you from your musings and you refocused your distant gaze on Sans. He gave you a questioning look, but you did your best to offer him a reassuring, if not a little mournful smile. In the three years since the monsters had broken the barrier he had probably heard the “I’m sorry for your imprisonment” line one too many times. Still, your heart gave a painful squeeze for him and all the monsters around you. All they desired was their freedom, and you could not even begin to imagine how miserable it must have been to be kept from the sun for centuries.

“It’s nothing,” Your voice was soft, accompanied by a fondness in your gaze, “Just glad I have the opportunity to learn about all this, about all of you…”

_I just wish the rest of humanity could be more open-minded as well._

You let your whisper trail off, words lingering for the skeleton to muse over as you returned your attention to the lesson. Papyrus was already passing out echo flower seeds and an unusual navy soil that you figured came from the Underground as well. With a few more instructions the class was set to work on preparing their echo flowers. For once you noticed Sans was not nodding off. You half expected him to take a nap right on the soil, but he remained alert and active, albeit a little slow at potting his plant. It was heartwarming to see such respect he held for his brother’s teaching position. Meanwhile Papyrus made his rounds, guiding students where needed and giving almost excessive amounts of encouragement. The task was not exactly challenging, and you found yourself enjoying the activity, letting the memories of earlier that day fade away for a bit.

Once the potting was done Papyrus went on to describe some uses for the echo flower, from a delicious tea to a natural anti-anxiety remedy, and in high doses it could even be poisonous. As the class was winding down you were almost disappointed, not ready to leave and face the reality outside the greenhouse. Papyrus ushered you all to the back of the building, but before you could follow you felt a bony had grab your sleeve,

“Hey, kid, be a pal bring this down with ya? Gotta run to my next class.”

You tucked your own terracotta pot in the crook of your arm before accepting Sans'. It was slight, but he looked subtly uneasy as he handed you his echo flower, fingers fumbling to undo his apron. The sight of Sans even remotely unnerved did not sit well with you.

“ _Leaf_ it to me.” You quipped, attempting to lighten the mood, and were pleased to see the skeleton grin in return. He gave you a quick pair of finger guns before…blinking out of existence. You stared at the spot your classmate once stood mere seconds ago.

“Did…he just..?”

“MISS (L/N), YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, DO YOU?”

You would have to save your questions for later as you hurried to meet up with the rest of your class as they made their way down the steps to the cellar. The air was significantly cooler underground, bordering on chilly, and you blindly stumbled down the wooden stairs. It was not until Papyrus gently poked a corner full of blue mushrooms that the room was illuminated. The light glinted off the dirt walls, exposed crystals sparkling in an array of colors. You could hear the soft trickle of water and noted a small pond just in the corner, surrounded by cattails. Most of the floor was left exposed and Papyrus instructed you all to line your pots up neatly for storage. Even with the lack of light that would usually leave you on edge you found the little hollow beautiful. If the Underground looked anything like this, then at least it was not all bad of a place to be trapped in. Not to say that any amount of pretty scenery would justify the monsters’ imprisonment, but at least the place did not look like hell.

After all the pots were in order the group headed back up the stairs to clean up and Papyrus dismissed the class. Your only remaining period was a study block, so you took your time setting your tools back in their proper places and wiping away the dirt. You were reluctant to leave and let your more gloomy thoughts weigh on your mind, and little did you know it showed in how you held yourself, your brows tightly knit and shoulders slumped. Absentmindedly you rubbed at a grass stain on the bench with a rag that refused to leave until a steaming cup of tea was set before you. You started, glancing up to see Papyrus beside you, a gentle smile on his sharp features.

“You looked, troubled, human. I thought you might appreciate some liquid tranquility.” The gesture left your heart pleasantly warm, as your fingers wrapped around the porcelain glass. Pale blue steam floated up from a navy brew, which seemed to glitter faintly in the light, “Echo flower tea is known to be quite soothing.”

It was odd to hear the skeleton’s voice so quiet. Though it was roughly around the average person’s speaking voice, it sounded unusual compared to his more animated teaching voice. You took a tentative sip of the tea as you mulled over his words and almost instantly felt warmth flood your body, relaxing your muscles. A sigh of contentment escaped you and Papyrus looked pleased to see he had provided some relief.

“I guess…” Your gaze lingered on your cup as you tried to put words to your distress, “I guess I’m just overwhelmed, you know? This is all so…different from my life back home. I know it’s only the first day, but haven’t really adjusted at all and I’m worried I might not ever will.”

A gloved hand settled on your shoulder and you looked up to meet Papyrus’ eyelights, their glow tender.

“Fear not, Miss (L/n). The first days are always the most challenging, but you have those watching out for you and with a little determination anything is possible. Give it time and this school will be like a second home.” He gave your shoulder a gentle pat, voice returning to its usual volume “YOU SHALL CONQUER THESE CLASSES, HUMAN, AND I SHALL HELP YOU SEE TO IT. I AM SURE SANS WILL TOO, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU ARE FRIENDS.”

Friends? You had only known the shorter skeleton for a short period of time, mere hours. Could that really constitute as enough time to become friends? You admit that he was certainly easy to get along with, his puns never failing to draw a smile from you. Not to mention there was an odd stirring in your chest whenever your eyes fell on him, leaving you thoughtful and desiring to know more about him. But that was just curiosity, and you doubted Sans considered you a friend already. Still, it was nice to have people to talk to, as well as plans to hang out too. The company certainly made the campus feel more comfortable.

“Thanks, Professor,” You almost giggled at how Papyrus straightened with pride at the title. “and thank you for the tea, it was delicious and it helped. I feel a lot better now that I’ve gotten that off my chest.”

“NEVER FEAR, HUMAN, I SHALL ALWAYS HAVE AN EAR AVAILABLE FOR YOU…METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING, OF COURSE.”

You laughed, your soul feeling so much lighter as you passed the drained cup back to him to shoulder your bag once more. But just before you waved goodbye you called out to the skeleton’s retreating form,

“Oh! Sans is probably going to mention plans for Muffet’s this weekend. I’ve never been and he insisted I needed to go. You definitely should come too!”

“BUT OF COURSE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GRACE YOU WITH MY MAGNIFICENT PRESENCE FOR THIS EXCURSION!”

* * *

You passed your study period exploring the campus. The layout was rather dizzying and you could not tell if it was due to the fact that it was built into the mountainside or if it was more intentional to confuse students. But as you were not in too much of a rush you did not mind losing yourself within the halls. In your wanderings you managed to find the Athenaeum, which was essentially a massive library brimming with old texts and tomes, and mentally noted its location for the future. Considering how your classes were going you knew you would be spending your fair share of classes in there, buried under books. You passed a few familiar faces in the hall, first years you had seen about your dorm or in class. With the exception of those from your Defensive Magick class, most happily returned your friendly gaze. Speaking of which, you could have sworn you saw a flash of blue around a corner or in an office every now and then and you made quick work of getting the fuck out of the area as quickly as possible. The idea of running into Professor Undyne so soon was terrifying to say the least. You could practically see her chasing you through the school with one of her spears.

Of course, you could only avoid her for so long. Classes had started on a Thursday, which meant you had Friday and the weekend to get your magick together. Monday you would have to face off against her and your soul seemed to quiver in fear at the prospect. How could you even enjoy your little outing to Ebott City with your dismal future growing ever nearer? An exasperated sigh escaped you as you paused in your grim reveries to practically slump against the wall of a vacant hallway.

“I’m so dead…” Whether you meant your career as a mage or your actual life you were unsure. At this point, either were plausible outcomes.

You held your hand beneath your gaze, palm facing upward. Fingers gingerly flexed causing the fine lines to deepen. Why were you so petrified of your own abilities? Was it simply instinct to fear the dark or was there some embedded intuition urging you to be wary? No matter how often your parents had comforted, told you the dark was nothing to be afraid of, that terror never left you. The shadows clung to you, held you back while everyone else passed through safely; completely unaware of what lurked within. There was no escaping them, you had resigned yourself to that fact time and time again, but that did not mean you had to like it. And now with those subtle changes slowly making their presence known you had even more of a reason to be on guard. The shadows seemed to be trembling, eager, as if awaiting your touch like some starved creature. You could no longer ignore them, no longer run away.

The sunlight through the tall alcove on the opposing wall set your silhouette against the wall. You could practically feel the shadows pawing at your shoulder where you made contact with the solid stone, begging for attention. Swallowing thickly your eyes flickered to the shadow cast by your hand.

The fingers were stretched unnaturally, long and thin. There was a gaping hole the palm where the sunlight passed through.

* * *

“ _Butter_ I’m glad I was finally able to _ketchup_ with you. Hope you didn’t supper too much without my _egg_ cellent company."

“BROTHER, ENOUGH WITH YOUR INCESSANT FOOD PUNS BEFORE YOUR NEW FRIEND LOSES HER APPETITE.”

Papyrus was not even aware of his own pun until it was too late, and he let out a frustrated “NYEH” at his brother’s hearty laughter. Clearly, food puns were Sans’ specialty and as you were all getting dinner you could once more appreciate his comedic timing, even if the jokes were becoming a bit excessive.

“Don’t worry, I _fried_ not to feel too down _lentil_ I saw you two again.”

“NYEEEHHHH!” You swore the taller skeleton was about to explode, “IF I HAD A _PENNE_ FOR EVERY FOOD PUN I’VE HEARD BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU TONIGHT I WOULD HAVE A LIFETIME SUPPLY OF PASTA! NYEH HEH HEH HEH!”

“Nice one, Papyrus, that was pretty _cutecumber_.”

“I have never been so proud.” Sans laughed as he pretended to wipe away happy tears.

As the dining hour rolled around you had run into the skeleton brothers just outside the banquet hall and decided to all grab dinner together. Like a college campus, there was not a huge division between professors and students, thus Papyrus was not required to eat with the other instructors. You even spotted a few other students crowded with other professors, discussing plans for the year and tips on settling into the academy as you made your way to the buffet. The entire atmosphere made the school seem a little less intimidating.

Wandering over to the grill to grab some fries you spotted the now familiar meowing bun you had devoured the other night. Now that you thought about it again, you recalled the stranger that had popped up and disappeared without a trace just as quickly. And their voice…

“HOTCAT!”

A few weird looks were tossed your way at your explanation as you rounded on the shorter skeleton. You knew his voice sounded familiar from somewhere, and he did treat you rather familiarly during class. Not to mention he could teleport, how else would he have gotten away so fast? Sans blinked at you for a moment, not exactly registering what you were referring to at first. But after a moment he remembered and was sent into a whole new wave of laughter. Papyrus stood there confused as you fumed.

“Ya- Haha – ya finally caught on, huh?” Sans managed to choke out between breaths, bony fingers threatening to drop the tray holding a ‘burg and fries.

“You could give a person a heart attack sneaking up on them like that,” With smirk you gave a playful flick of your finger to the side of his skull, the sound ringing hollow, “ _bonehead_.”

You explained the situation to Papyrus, all the while Sans still chuckling at the memory as you made your way to the table you sat at last night. A few of your fellow first years were there as well, including Lucas and M.K. The small dinosaur monster nearly fell out of their seat at the sight of Papyrus, quickly going into a stuttering rant about how they were a huge fan. The taller skeleton seemed to glow at the compliments and likewise Sans looked pretty happy to see his brother so appreciated. You were a little curious as to what had earned Papyrus such respect, knowing there must be a good story behind it, but set that aside for a later time. After all, you had not seen Lucas since this morning.

“I hope you don’t mind I brought along some friends.” Seating yourself beside Luke, Sans quickly settled as well between you and his brother, “This is Sans, he’s a first year too, and his brother Papyrus is the Herbology professor.”

“Oh?” Lucas leaned around you to get a good look at the skeletons, eyeing them up with a friendly smirk, “Nice to meet you, lil’ dude.”

You almost choked on your bite of pizza at the nickname as Sans stiffened beside you. He had paused mid-bite of his burger and you did not have to even look to know the lights had left his eyes. His height seemed to be just as sensitive a topic as his age. Sans did not even dignify Luke with a response, merely giving a lazy salute of his free hand before continuing to eat. The awkward atmosphere that settled did not even faze Lucas, who eagerly turned back to you to discuss how classes went. As you ate he ranted about his Arcane Politics professor being “dry as old toast” and the load of studying Alchemy brought him. You were content to just listen and share a bit of your own day, even taking a moment to compare schedules. Unfortunately you only had Defensive Magick and Bio-magick together, but it was better than nothing. At least your rooms were right across the hall from each other. Sans remained relatively quiet during the conversation.

“Oh, by the way, Sans mentioned going to Muffet’s this weekend in Ebott City. I was thinking you and M.K. could tag along with us too.” You gestured to the brothers with a grin, though Sans appeared slightly less enthused.

“I’d be delighted, m’lady.”

The endearing name rolled off his tongue so smoothly you almost missed it, but a slight blush seeped into your cheeks as he gave you a mock bow from his seat. Even after your utterly shameful performance this morning, you were glad to see Lucas did not think anything different of you.

“Awesome! Saturday then?” There was a murmur of agreement from the group and the date was set. At least you had something pleasant to look forward to before your inevitable demise the following Monday.

* * *

After dinner you parted ways with Sans and Papyrus and made your way to your dorm with Lucas and M.K. You chatted about classes the following day, promising to meet up for lunch midday if possible, before heading to bed. There was a sickening drop to your stomach as you warily eyed your bed. Last night had been restful, but who was today tonight would be so forgiving? The distinct shape of your hand’s silhouette, so very unlike your own, still haunted your mind’s eye. Somehow you could not imagine tonight’s rest being so forgiving.

At least you were mentally prepared.

The soft sound of static had returned and you knew that the voice was yearning to speak, practically buzzing with anticipation. You wondered if you just let yourself float there like every other night, ignoring its presence, then it would grow bored and leave you alone. But if anything the atmosphere of the shadows seemed to only grow more restless as time crept on. The darkness danced over your skin with those creeping tendrils and you knew that any hope of rest would completely evade you tonight until. You cracked your eyes open, not that the view made much of a difference, and let out a frustrated sigh. The sound was devoured by emptiness surrounding you. Speaking was useless here, all sound was erased in the blackness, but perhaps thoughts alone would suffice? They certainly seemed to work for the voice.

_I…. I know you’re there. You might as well come out already._

At least by calling out to it you were able to steel your resolve a bit more. You were summoning them on your terms. There was an unsteady hum to the white noise that sounded almost akin to laughter.

_[INDEED…I AM. IT IS A PLEASURE TO…FINALLY SPEAK TO YOU…(Y/N)]_

You strained your eyes to see if there was any face to match to the name. At first you saw nothing, but turning behind yourself in the darkness revealed a sort of murky white blob. You had never seen anything else existing in this space. It was stark white, but distorted, as if you were viewing it through a murky haze. There were no distinguishable features. But rather than scream, or try to flee to the waking world, you felt oddly at ease at the sight. You had a face to the voice now, which was one more detail to prove you were not going entirely crazy. Or that was what you hoped.

_W-who are you? How long…have you been here? What do you want with-_

Your questions were cut off by the rumble of static, louder this time as though the voice were highly amused by your onslaught.

_[REST ASSURED, MY DEAR….I AM NOT HERE TO HARM YOU. YOU AND I…SHARE A BOND IN THIS SPACE… I DISCOVERED IT…THREE YEARS AGO.]_

Three years ago. This voice had been haunting your dreams for three years?! Confusion furrowed your brow. How had you not noticed its presence until just now?

 _[I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT YOU…UNTIL ONLY RECENTLY…AS YOU PROXIMITY TO MY LOCATION…DIMINISHED.]_ So the voice was connected to the mountain. The relation was simple enough to make and you sensed it was pleased, _[COMMUNICATION HAS ALSO BEEN MADE…POSSIBLE…AS YOUR SOUL CALLS OUT TO ME…LIKE YOU DID TONIGHT. A MUTUAL CONNECTION…IS FAR STRONGER THAN ONE THAT IS NOT RECIPROCATED.]_

It was true, if you listened closely the voice did sound a bit clearer than your previous interaction. Though the words still seemed labored, they were far steadier. The voice paused in its distorted speech and you could feel the hesitation and remorse shudder around you.

_[I…MUST APOLOGIZE…FOR INVADING YOUR DREAMS AS I DID…I DID NOT MEAN TO SCARE YOU.]_

_Um…it’s fine, I guess. That’s in the past, just give a girl some warning next time._

There was another ripple of laughter and if you squinted you thought you could make out the crack of a smile in the whiteness.

_[OF COURSE…MY DEAR. NOW…AS TO WHY I AM HERE. I REQUIRE…YOUR ASSISTANCE AND I HAVE A PROPOSITION…THAT I BELIEVE WILL BE…MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO US BOTH.]_

At that you cocked a brow, arms folding across your chest. You were not exactly sure you were prepared to trust this mysterious voice. Even if it had been watching you for years and you no longer felt scared out of your wits in its presence, you still did not know its motives. As if sensing your hesitation you noted two smaller white blobs lifted in defense just beneath the head. Hands..?

 _[I UNDERSTAND…YOUR RESERVATIONS…I TAKE NO JOY IN PLACING THIS OFFER BEFORE YOU…SO SOON. BUT TIME IS…OF THE ESSENCE.]_ A white blur made a sweeping gesture to the darkness, streaks of white trailing in its wake before fading, _[I BELIEVE IT IS OBVIOUS…I AM TRAPPED HERE…AND TERRIBLY WEAK… MANY YEARS AGO MY SOUL…WAS SHATTERED ACROSS DIMENSIONS IN AN ACCIDENT…]_

There was a pregnant pause, as if the memory still pained them to this day.

_[PIECES OF IT WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE MULTIVERSE…WITH TWO REMAINING HERE. ONE OF WHICH REMAINS BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN…ANOTHER FOUND REFUGE IN THE SOUL OF YOUR ANCESTOR…WHICH HAS BEEN PASSED ON THROUGH GENERATIONS…TO YOU…]_

Your head spun, the words not quite settling. There was a piece of this voice, this being, residing in your soul? And the rest had been blown across time and space? You could have sworn that the theory of multiple realities had not even been proven by science yet.

_[YOUR BLOODLINE…HAS ALWAYS HELD A CONNECTION TO DARK MAGICK…DRAWING FROM THIS PLACE OF POWER WE RESIDE IN NOW… I BELIEVE MY SOUL FRAGMENT LATCHED ON TO SUSTAIN ITSELF. BUT ON ITS OWN THERE WAS LITTLE MORE IT COULD DO…THAN AMPLIFY YOUR FAMILY’S CONNECTION TO HERE. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE BARRIER FELL…AND YOU, MY DEAR,…CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO FRAGMENTS IN THIS DIMENSION…THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT.]_

They paused, allowing the information to sink in. There was a piece of the voice residing in your soul as refuge, passed on from your ancestors. The fragment was barely even noticeable, only building your connection to the darkness. But now that the barrier on Mount Ebott was shattered and you were living directly in the mountain’s side there was little keeping you separated, and you became unable to ignore the changes the proximity made.

_[YOU…(Y/N)…ARE THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR BLOODLINE TO STEP THIS CLOSE TO ME…THIS FAR INTO THE DARKNESS…I CAN SENSE YOUR FEAR…AND I WANT TO HELP. CONSIDER IT…AN EXCHANGE. IF YOU CAN…RETRIEVE MY SOUL FRAGMENTS…THEN I WILL ASSIST YOU IN MASTERING YOUR MAGICK…YOUR FEAR.]_

And that was their endgame. You were to piece their existence back together and in return you would gain more control over your magick. Your soul practically purred at the thought and if you truly listened you thought you could sense some foreign magick stirring as well. This voice’s power was already deeply embedded in you, the bond unavoidable.

But you hesitated. You had no idea who this being was. They could be the devil himself for all you knew and retrieving the soul fragments could bring about the apocalypse. However, while your mind screamed at you to reject the voice’s proposal, your soul begged to agree. And you knew it betrayed your desire as hope swelled around you, the shadows clinging to you with such fervor.

 _I…need to think about it_.

The disappointment was almost palpable and even your own soul sunk at the prospect. But you could not simply agree on a whim. This needed time and careful consideration. You were not about to bring about the end of the world, and possibly others in the multiverse, just to gain control over your magick. You also refused to let this being feed off your fears. Though you did not sense malice from him, his methods of persuasion were somewhat devious.

 _[I UNDERSTAND, MY DEAR, BUT KNOW THIS…]_ And in the blink of an eye that white face was upon you, looming several inches above, though still just as distorted at such a small distance. You felt a familiar firmness stroke your cheek and a shudder ran through you, _[TIME…IS NOT OUR ALLY…THERE ARE FORCES AT WORK BEYOND YOUR KNOWLEDGE…I FEAR THE BREAKING OF THE BARRIER ONLY PROVOKED THEIR HAND…AGREE TO OUR DEAL…AND THE MULTIVERSE MAY STAND A FIGHTING CHANCE.]_

The words echoed in your mind, even as morning withdrew you from your dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The deal is set and the plot thickens. But our lovely reader is no fool, she's not going to accept this mysterious voice's offer so quickly.
> 
> Also, on a random side note, I don't know if any of you noticed that I write Sans with proper capitalization, unlike how he is in the game. This is partially due to the fact that my Word document I write this in would autocorrect it all anyway, but also because I figure in his actual vocal dialogue, not video game text box speech, you would not be able to tell the difference. Also sometimes I just don't want it to be obvious that he's speaking. So it's partially for plot and partially because I am too lazy to go back and correct all the autocorrection. Just thought I'd throw that out there. >-<
> 
> UP NEXT: More classes...I mean this is school, after all. But we'll get a better look at what the reader is learning and maybe even some more Snas floof.


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